All You Need is Love
by PAN TRUNKS LOVER
Summary: A job brings two individuals together. Both are survivors in their own way, working on achieving what they believe are their goals in life, but what they don't realise is that there is more to life, and that deep down they long for something completely different – something that would make them feel more alive… FemNaru/Sasu
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I know I really shouldn't post a new story when I have three unfinished ones, but I can't resist. I've been dying to write a Female Naruto/Sasuke story for ages now, and I can't hold back the urge any longer! It's so hard to find a decent story to read nowadays. I've lost count how many stories I've stopped reading after the first paragraph. There's nothing genuine out there anymore, which is a shame, especially when you're in the mood to read a decent story, and even if there is one out there, it takes forever to find. Something I'm sure a lot of you agree with.

This story will be full of romance and drama. The characters will be as close to canon as I can write them, including my female version of Naruto, even though it is an AU fic.

Naruko - 24 years old.

Sasuke - 26 years old.

Story Summary: A job brings two individuals together. Both are survivors in their own way, working on achieving what they believe are their goals in life, but what they don't realise is that there is more to life, and that deep down they long for something completely different – something that would make them feel more alive…

* * *

**All you need is love…**

**Chapter 1**

Bright sunlight peeked through the open blinds, lighting up the medium-sized apartment room even more with its radiance. The sounds of birds tweeting merrily signalled it was going to be another beautiful summer day in the city of Tokyo, as did the blue cloudless sky surrounding the hot sun.

An alarm clock went off, awakening the person hidden underneath the white bed covers. A hand shot out immediately to cut off the irritating sound as the covers were pushed back lazily. Cerulean eyes, surrounded by dark long lashes, blinked several times sleepily before they glanced at the time. A hand pushed back the blonde bangs framing a beautiful oval face, soft red lips stretching into a bright smile.

The day for a new beginning was finally here, the day when she, Naruko Uzumaki, finally started her new job.

Excited, she got out of bed quickly, not bothering to straighten the bed sheets. She had more important things to worry about at the moment. Leaving her bedroom, she drifted into the living room of her apartment before moving towards the door on her left, revealing the small bathroom. Stripping naked, she tossed her night clothes aside, stepping underneath the shower head.

As she turned the shower on and reached for her shampoo, her mind was clouded by all kinds of thoughts.

Today was an important day for her; it was a day she'd been waiting eagerly to arrive for a long time now. If she was completely honest, she'd never imagined all her efforts would gain such success, not after the life she'd led.

After being orphaned at the age of two, getting moved from one foster family to another, being treated as if she was invisible and unwanted, anyone else in her shoes would've turned out much differently to the person she was today, and for a while, she too had assumed the same, but it hadn't happened. Instead of making her weak, her suffering had made her strong; it'd given her the courage to make a better life for herself. When she was at the right age to start school, she knew it was an opportunity to make her dream come true, and welcomed it with open arms, vowing to achieve her goals no matter what.

She worked as hard as she could, getting through school, working part-time jobs to earn money to pay for college when she was old enough to work. Balancing her jobs, on top of her college work, had been very stressful for her, but she managed to get through it with her determination. All the hard work paid off when she gained a scholarship in one of the well-known universities in Japan, where she was able to complete her Bachelor's Degree in accountancy.

Coming across the vacancy for her new job had been a stroke of luck. One of her tutors, Kakashi-san - who was also a good friend- had recommended the job to her, and she'd applied, even though she hadn't been too confident that she would get it. The process had been very difficult, and when she'd received the phone call to inform her she'd gotten the job, she'd almost fainted from shock.

Never had she imagined that she'd be working for Uchiha Industries, known far and wide for being one of the leading companies in Japan, and on top of that she'd earned the position of being Sasuke Uchiha's personal secretary, who was the president of Uchiha Industries.

She knew with her degree that she could find work anywhere, but the problem was lack of experience with working in major companies, which was what she'd been aiming to do from the beginning. She knew her current position in Uchiha Industries would open many doors for her in the future, and that was why she'd decided to take the opportunity in the first place.

Turning the water off, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her before grabbing another one for her long hair. She got out of the shower, heading towards the sink, where she quickly brushed her teeth, smiling excitedly at her reflection.

She headed back to her room, glancing once more at the time before drying her hair. After much pondering last night, she'd decided to wear a black suit jacket and skirt, with a white shirt. It was probably best to stay on the safe side and avoid her usual bright colours. Once dressed, she curled her hair, adding the final touches of mascara and lip gloss. She wasn't one for makeup, hardly ever bothering with it, but she knew it was good to make an effort here and there.

Deeming she looked good enough for her first day, she left the room, heading towards the kitchen area, which was joint with the living room. She shoved two breads into the toaster as she went through the process of making some coffee, her eyes checking the time on the wall clock.

She was going to have to leave in the next five minutes if she wanted to catch her bus on time, especially if she wanted to get there before she started at 7.

Five minutes later, she was ready to leave, grabbing her bag and keys before she slipped her feet into her low-heeled shoes. She opened the front door, slightly surprised to see one of her neighbours walking past.

"Naruko," Kiba greeted her with a wide grin, his dog, Akamaru, attached to a leash in front of him.

"Hey, Kiba," she smiled at him, closing her door and locking it before turning back to him once more. "It's not like you to be up so early on a Monday!"

Kiba smirked. "Just taking Akamaru for a morning walk," he explained as they started walking towards the elevators.

Naruko gave him a disbelieving look. "Are you sure that's the only reason?" She smirked knowingly. "You're probably stalking some poor damsel out with her dog!"

Kiba gave her a mock hurt look. "I never knew you thought so low of me, Naruko. You really hurt my feelings!"

"Yeah, yeah, you stupid mutt," she teased him. "Shino already told me all about that 'dark-haired beauty' you've been stalking for the past week now."

Kiba almost dropped the leash in shock, his face instantly turning red. "That stupid idiot," he growled. "I should've known he would tell you!"

"Relax," she laughed heartedly as they stepped inside the elevator. "He only told me because he wanted me to help you get her attention. Apparently, he's sick of your continuous yearning for her."

Kiba eyes lit up at the words. "Does that mean you're going to help me?"

"I can't at the moment," she apologised regrettably. "I'm working Mondays - Saturdays, so it's going to be hard to find the time. I suppose we can go on Sunday if I'm not too tired, okay?"

He nodded as they stepped out of the elevator, heading towards the exit. "That'd be great, Naruko. Thanks!" Kiba grinned, giving her a thumbs up before he turned away to go in the opposite direction. "Good luck with your new job!"

"Thanks, Kiba!" She smiled at his departing back, making her way towards the bus stop. It was a good thing she didn't live too far away from her new work place, easily able to travel back and forth within twenty minutes.

Reaching the bus stop, she silently prayed the bus would be on time, even though it usually was. As she waited, she pondered over what her first day would be like. She wasn't going to deny that she was a little nervous, even though it was to be expected.

She wasn't as worried about her job role as much as meeting the great Sasuke Uchiha face to face for the very first time. The face-to-face part of the interview had been carried out by the Vice President of the Company – Suigetsu Hozuki, which had been a bit of a surprise as she'd been expecting the President to make some sort of appearance.

She sighed in relief when she saw the bus approaching, getting on immediately. After paying for her ticket, she sat down on a nearby seat, returning her attention to her previous thoughts.

Hozuki-san was a very passionate man from what she'd picked up from their short meeting. He clearly knew what he was talking about, surprising her a few times with his belligerent moments, not that they were aimed at her, no, which was a relief. They were aimed at the unfortunate person who made the mistake of calling him at the wrong times. She smiled in remembrance, looking forward to seeing him again.

Her thoughts drifted to Sasuke Uchiha once more, recalling what she'd learned about him after browsing online using her laptop. He was a very handsome man, as well as being ridiculously rich. She could understand why women were crazy about him, after all, it was all about money and appearance nowadays, which she could understand to an extent, but found it didn't interest her in the least. She was more interested in what a person was like on the inside.

After reading several articles on the President of Uchiha Industries, she'd learned more about the history of his company, surprised to learn that it'd been previously owned by his father, Fugaku Uchiha who'd passed away in a car accident with his wife eight years ago, leaving the company in the hands of his two sons – Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi, who was the eldest brother, took care of the company for two years before he took off for reasons unknown, leaving a twenty year old Sasuke behind with complete ownership and responsibility.

Sasuke had surprised the business world with the way he'd accepted the important role which had practically been dumped on him, working hard to bring the company to even greater heights with his prodigious intelligence. It was as if he'd been born to handle such a position, according to the media.

She knew it wasn't going to be easy working under such an incredible person, but she was willing to work as hard as she needed to. They must have seen something significant in her compared to the rest of the candidates who'd applied for the position.

Ignoring the flutter of nervousness in her stomach, she stood up when the bus reached her stop, getting off the bus quickly, and set off down the pavement, enjoying the five minute walk before she reached her new work place. Glancing at the time on her watch, she noticed she had at least fifteen minutes before she started and relaxed.

It was a beautiful day, she mused quietly, inhaling the soothing scent of flowers that were blooming on the sides of the roads. This part of town was looked after greatly, which was probably why so many people chose to set up their offices here.

Spotting the huge building of Uchiha Industries, she took a moment to admire the impressive, but very expensive, layout of the building before she made her way towards the entrance. It was a sight she'd seen before but it never failed to take her breath away.

Smiling to herself, she entered the building, greeting the guard standing by the entrance. He nodded with a smile as she walked past, heading towards the main desk.

The brown-haired receptionist, whose name she recalled as Tenten, looked up with a professional but friendly smile, recognising her immediately. "You must be Uzumaki-san," she greeted her. "Welcome to Uchiha Industries."

"Thank you," she smiled brightly. "There's no need to be formal," she added. "You can call me Naruko."

Tenten nodded. "In that case you can call me Tenten," she answered immediately with a grin. "Hozuki-san is expecting you at his office on the 40th floor, Naruko. His office is the on the far left."

Naruko smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Tenten," she said before turning to leave, heading towards the elevators.

The ride on the elevator was surprisingly quick, with people getting on or off every now and then. She was relieved when she reached her intended floor, moving towards the left once she'd exited. There was a reception area set up on the corner. A red-head with glasses looked up from her paperwork as she approached. Her name was Karin and she was Hozuki-san's personal secretary, according to the name plate. Her expression wasn't what you could friendly, she noted instantly.

"Hi," she smiled at her. "My name is Naruko Uzumaki. I was told to meet Hozuki-san in his office."

The red-head narrowed her eyes, straightening her glasses before she nodded. "I'll let him know you're here," her tone was clipped.

Naruko raised a brow at the cold tone, wondering if she spoke to everyone like this. Pushing the thought aside, she waited as the red-head picked up the phone and pushed a button on speed-dial.

"Hozuki-san," Karin greeted her boss sweetly when he answered. "Naruko Uzumaki is here."

She paused for a moment and then nodded. "Okay. I'll send her in."

Placing the phone back down, she looked up again. "Hozuki-san will see you now. His office is at the end of this corridor," she informed her before dismissing her as she turned away.

Amused by her attitude, Naruko thanked her before moving towards the end of the corridor. She stopped in front of the last door, noticing Hozuki-san's full name and position on the door plate on the door.

Her hand lifted to knock, waiting for permission to enter before she opened the door.

"Come in."

She pushed the door open, entering the room before closing it shut behind her. Her gaze immediately landed on Hozuki-san who was sat at his desk, talking on the phone. Looking in her direction, he gestured for her to take a seat, and then looked away as he continued his phone call.

She headed towards the desk, settling down on one of the seats while she waited patiently for Hozuki-san to finish his call.

Her gaze drifted towards her surroundings, noting the stylish and modern look of the office. It was almost as big as her entire apartment combined.

Hozuki-san placed the phone back down with more force than was necessary, obviously in a bad mood after speaking to whoever it was he'd been talking to. "Stupid delegates," he cursed. "They expect you to do everything for them!"

His attention shifted towards her, his purple eyes meeting hers. "I see you're right on time, Uzumaki-san," he smirked. "I like people who are punctual."

Naruko smiled politely. "Thank you, Hozuki-san," she responded.

"Now," he turned to the paperwork scattered on his desk, picking up a folder from a small pile. "Let's go over several formalities before we get started."

She nodded, waiting for him to continue.

He pulled out several sheets of documents from the folder. "I just need you to double-check the data we have on you, get your bank details and a few signatures, and go over the terms of your contract with us."

She accepted the paperwork he handed to her, checking over it quickly.

"Everything's fine," she told him once she was done checking it all.

"Great," he muttered. "Just sign and date it at the bottom, and then fill this out."

Once that was done, he went over the terms of her employment with Uchiha industries, going over the important details first before breezing through the minor ones. She knew it was company policy to go over such information, as it was the same pretty much everywhere.

"Now that we've covered all of that, we can talk about what you're going to be doing here," he placed all the paperwork back in the folder before looking up at her, leaning back in his chair. "As you already know, this position is for Uchiha-san's personal secretary. I'm aware you don't really have much experience in such a role when it involves working for a huge business, but we're willing to overlook that. Your qualifications are impressive, and from what I've seen during the interview, you are perfectly capable of handling what comes with this job."

She smiled. "Thank you, Hozuki-san. I'm honoured that you think so highly of me. Though, I'll admit I was quite shocked when you offered me the job."

Hozuki-san smirked. "The final decision was of course Uchiha-san's," he said. "I merely gave him my opinion."

Naruko didn't hide her surprise at those words, even though she should've been expecting them.

"Uchiha-san's office is on the 50th floor," he continued. "He has his legal and financial secretary working on the same floor, so you will see each other on a daily basis. Your role will involve time and daily management, scheduling of meetings, correspondence, and note taking."

She nodded, already aware of what her new job would involve after doing some research. She knew the role would keep her on her toes, considering who she was working for.

He stood up. "If you'll follow me, we'll head up to the 50th floor now and get you acquainted. Uchiha-san won't be here until 9, so you'll have plenty of time to get settled before he gets here."

She gave a brief nod before standing up, following him out of the room, towards the elevator.

"I'll be back soon, Karin," Hozuki-san informed her as they walked past her desk. "Note any important calls in my absence."

"As you wish, Hozuki-san," Karin responded eagerly, no sign of any coldness in her voice.

They entered the elevator, pushing the button for the 50th floor. A small screen above the selection of buttons lit up, requesting for an I.D card.

Hozuki-san pulled out a card and scanned it. "Access to the 50th floor requires an I.D card, which you'll be given," she was told. "There are certain security procedures we have to take, and this is one of them."

Naruko wasn't really surprised by the extra security precaution. A lot of the major businesses tended to have them nowadays, for the sake of protection.

The elevator ride was silent, save for Hozuki-san's tuneless whistling. When the doors opened, they walked out. Naruko looked around, noticing this floor was slightly different to the other one. It had another smaller lift on the far right, which was a bit odd.

Hozuki-san noticed her glance. "That lift is for Uchiha-san," he explained with a smirk. "He prefers his own little space."

"I see," Naruko responded slowly, wondering why her new boss couldn't ride an elevator with other people, but then again it was his own choice, she wasn't one to judge. He did own the building after all.

"This floor is only for the use of Uchiha-san and his secretaries," Hozuki-san explained further as he led her down the only corridor on this floor, which was on the left. "You won't see many others, except for me, of course."

They passed two doors on the right-hand side. A quick glance showed Naruko that these doors led to the offices of the legal and financial secretaries.

"As you've probably noticed, these doors lead to the offices of the financial and legal secretaries, but we'll come back to them. I want to show you where you'll be working first."

He continued down the corridor, stopping before a large work station. "This is where you'll be working," Hozuki-san gestured with his hand. "It's right beside Uchiha-san's office, so it'll be easy for you to move back and forth."

Naruko nodded, looking over her new work station, noticing it had pretty much everything she would need. There was even a name plate with her name and position in front of the desk. She could already picture herself working behind the desk.

Hozuki-san opened one of the drawers and pulled out what looked like her I.D card. "This is yours," he gave it to her. "Make sure you look after it carefully."

She nodded, accepting it. "Thank you."

"We should go and meet your other colleagues now," he announced after glancing at the time, leading her back the way they'd come. He didn't bother knocking on the first door, which led to the legal secretary's office, and pushed it open.

A gorgeous blonde with big blue eyes looked up from her paperwork as they entered.

"How's it going, Ino," Hozuki-san greeted the blonde informally. "You're looking really hot in that purple suit!"

"You'll never change, Suigetsu," Ino glared at the man before looking over at her. "Hmm, would this be the new addition to our team?" She smiled, getting out of her chair. "Hi, I'm Ino Yamanaka," she held out her hand.

Naruko smiled at the gesture. "Naruko Uzumaki," she shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you!"

"It's great to finally have another woman around here," Ino grinned. "I was getting kind of sick of being the only one!"

"Don't let Sasuke hear you say that," Hozuki-san smirked evilly. "He'll probably sack you on the spot!"

"I highly doubt that," Ino responded cockily. "He knows I'm the best at what I do."

"Sure, sure," Hozuki-san muttered sarcastically before changing the topic. "Is our lazy financial secretary here yet?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "I doubt he even bothered to go home after yesterday's shift."

"In that case, we better go and find out."

"I'll come with you," Ino smiled at Naruko. "The paperwork can wait a few minutes!"

Hozuki-san snorted. "Shikamaru's definitely infected you with his laziness, I see."

Ino gave him a playful smack. "It's not that I'm lazy, I'm just up-to-date with my work."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, leading the way out of the room and towards the next, opening it again without knocking.

"What do you all want?" A lazy voice called out as they all walked in. "Can't a guy get some sleep around here?"

Naruko hold back a chuckle when she caught a glimpse of the man with his hair pulled back in a spiky ponytail. He was sat at his desk, his head placed on top of his arms. No doubt he'd been in a middle of a nap.

"Rise and shine, your highness," Ino said out loud, the sarcasm clear in her tone. "You're at work, not at home."

"Go away, Ino," Shikamaru drawled. "Go bother someone else, you troublesome woman."

Naruko watched the exchange with a smile on her face. It seemed she was going to enjoy working around here. Her work colleagues seemed ever so friendly. It was enough to make her want to cry out in happiness.

"Our new workmate is here, you idiot," Ino reprimanded him. "At least say hello!"

"Hey," the man didn't even bother lifting his head to look at her, raising a hand slightly in greeting.

Ino glared at him before turning to smile apologetically at her.

"It's okay," Naruko smiled brightly. "I'm Naruko Uzumaki. It's nice to meet you too."

The man finally graced them all with a look, turning to look at her. "Shikamaru Naru," he said.

"I like you guys already," Naruko grinned. "I know I'm going to love working here."

Hozuki-san smirked. "Wait until you meet Sasuke before you say that," he joked.

"Is he really that bad, Hozuki-san?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Call me Suigetsu," he said, not bothering to answer her question. "Hozuki-san makes me feel old."

"Suigetsu it is."

Suigetsu glanced at the time, almost cursing out loud. "I should get going," he said. "Ino will explain everything you need to know about what needs doing, Naruko."

Naruko nodded. "Thanks, Suigetsu."

He nodded, leaving the three of them alone.

"I guess that means we should get started," Ino smiled at Naruko...

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Ino was done explaining everything Naruko would need to know, going over the last few details.

"Like I've said, Uchiha-san doesn't like to be approached until he's settled in his office," Ino clarified once more. "So wait at least five minutes before you knock on his door."

Naruko nodded to show she understood. "Okay."

"If you need any help, don't hesitate to call me," Ino told her. "Our numbers are on speed-dial."

"Thanks," Naruko smiled gratefully. "I think I'll be okay, though. It doesn't seem too difficult."

Ino nodded approvingly before she turned to leave. "I like your confidence!"

Naruko grinned at her retreating back, turning to pick up the phone. Pressing the button to connect her to reception, she quickly asked Tenten to let her know when Uchiha-san entered the building. Tenten promised her she would and they ended the call.

Releasing a sigh, Naruko glanced at the wall clock, noting it was only 8.45, which meant there were still fifteen minutes left before her boss would arrive. Turning to her paperwork, she started going over the printed list of Uchiha-san's appointments for the day, silently praying that she didn't mess up on her first day…

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have it. Was it good or bad? Did it catch your interest? I hope it did…

Please review! I really would appreciate any kind of feedback. Since it's a new story, I'm dying to know what you think. It would help me tremendously! So, please…REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their story alerts/favourites. I was really happy with all the positive feedback. Please continue to show your support and motivation. I would really appreciate it. Thanks again.

Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

**All you need is love…**

**Chapter 2**

Fifteen minutes quickly went by, and before Naruko knew it, the phone was ringing in front of her. "Hello?" She answered it immediately, already knowing who it was going to be.

"Hey, blondie," Tenten greeted her. "The boss has entered the building and is headed towards the lift."

"Okay," Naruko quickly responded. "Thanks, Tenten."

"No problem," the brunette replied before hanging up.

Naruko placed the phone back down, frowning slightly when she felt her earlier nervousness return. Ignoring it, she busied herself with rechecking the paperwork in front of her. There was no need to be nervous, she told herself firmly. So what if this was Sasuke Uchiha. He was only a man, nothing special.

Feeling slightly better, she waited, knowing it was going to take several minutes before the lift reached the 50th floor.

She looked up when she heard the lift doors open, and the sound of footsteps began making their way towards her.

Sasuke Uchiha finally appeared in front of her, carrying a black briefcase. His chin-length raven hair was styled in his usual style, with bangs parted to frame his face while the back was spiked up. He had fair skin which most girls would die for and onyx coloured eyes. He was wearing a black shirt and red tie with his designer black suit, no doubt tailored to his built. He looked even more handsome up front compared to the pictures she'd seen.

She stood up as he approached her. "Good morning, Uchiha-san," she greeted him brightly.

He barely even glanced in her direction, walking past as if he hadn't even seen her, let alone heard her.

She blinked several times after his office door had closed shut behind him, her eyes quickly narrowing in disbelief. "What a jerk!" She muttered incredulously, unimpressed by his rudeness.

What kind of boss couldn't even open his mouth to respond to a greeting? It was her first day here, for crying out loud! The least he could've done was acknowledged her with a look, if opening his mouth was too much of an exercise. The guy clearly didn't care too much about making a good first impression.

Not one to take being ignored lightly, even though it hadn't been the first time it'd happened, she gathered the paperwork in her hands, glancing at the time to make sure five minutes had passed before she headed towards his office and knocked on the door.

She heard what could only be described as a grunt, taking it as her cue to enter. She walked inside and closed the door, noticing immediately that he was sat at his desk, the chair turned so he had his back to her. His office, she noticed, was much bigger than Suigetsu's. The windowed wall had a better view outside, the sun shining brightly in the distance. Its light lit up the room even more, making the colour scheme of blue and white, which was the same everywhere else in the building, stand out even more. There were two doors on the right-hand side of the room, most likely leading to a private room and bathroom.

"Good morning, Uchiha-san," she tried again. "I guess you didn't hear me the first time. My name is Naruko Uzumaki," she waited for a response but didn't get one. "I have a list of your appointments and meetings for today," she added and narrated them out loud.

There was still no response.

"Uchiha-san?" She called out to him again, her eyes narrowing slightly in worry. Was something wrong with him, she wondered. Why wasn't he answering back? "Are you…alright?"

"I'm fine," he finally answered in a deep and rich voice, startling her with the iciness in his tone. He didn't bother to turn around and face her.

"Okay," she answered unsurely, not knowing what else to say.

"Call Ino here immediately," he ordered her, the coldness still there in his voice. "Tell her to bring the documents required for the meeting with Kiyoto-san at 10.30. I need to go over them with her one more time."

"Okay," she responded, keeping her voice level so none of the annoyance she felt showed. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Not at the moment."

Not missing the dismissal in his tone, she glared in his direction before turning to leave, holding back the urge to slam the door shut behind her.

Returning the papers to her desk, she headed towards Ino's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in," she heard Ino call out.

Opening the door, she walked inside, closing the door shut behind her. "Uchiha-san told me to call you," she told the other blonde who was typing away on the computer in front of her. "He wants you to bring the paperwork for the meeting with Kiyoto-san at 10.30. He needs to go over them one more time."

Ino nodded. "I was actually on my way over to see him about it now," she answered, grabbing a file from the shelf near her desk. Getting up, she followed her out of the office. "So, how was it?" She looked expectedly at her, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Meeting Sasuke for the first time, I mean."

Naruko rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you can guess," she replied resignedly. "He walked past without looking at me. Didn't even say hello, and I don't even want to talk about what he was like when I went into his office."

Ino giggled. "Don't worry; you'll get used to him after a while," she assured her. "He's only like this on a really bad day."

Naruko allowed a small smile to appear on her face. "I hope you're right," she muttered, returning to her desk whilst Ino knocked on Uchiha-san's door and disappeared inside. It would be very unfortunate if she had to deal with someone so gloomy on a daily basis, even if it was her boss, but then again at least her work colleagues were friendly.

The thought brought a smile to her face as she settled down to get started on her work, going over the list of things to do that Ino had given her. She turned to the computer in front of her, logging in with the username and password she'd been provided with, and started on the emails and faxes she needed to reply to urgently, aiming to be done by the time Uchiha-san was to leave for the first meeting of the day.

Just as she was finished sending off the last email, the door to her boss's office opened and Ino came out.

"How's it going?" Ino smiled as she approached her desk.

"I've just finished replying to the emails and faxes," Naruko answered with a smile of her own before looking at the time, noticing it was almost 9.45. "I suppose Uchiha-san is getting ready for his first meeting."

Ino nodded. "You'll be accompanying him in case he needs you. Be prepared to take notes and provide general assistance."

"Okay," Naruko answered. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

Ino went quiet for a few seconds before she grinned mischievously. "You'll be using the lift together."

Naruko raised a brow. "His one, you mean?"

"That's right," Ino answered brightly.

"Great!" Naruko muttered sarcastically. "Anything else?"

Ino laughed. "I think it would be best if you asked him directly," she said.

Naruko nodded as she stood up. "Thanks, Ino. I really appreciate the help."

Ino waved her hand dismissively. "There's no need to thank me. It's your first day here, so obviously you're going to need help. You'll be used to everything by the end of the week, I'm sure. Anyways, I should get going. Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Naruko answered immediately, picking up a notepad and pen before heading towards her boss's office. She knocked on the door, surprised when she heard an actual worded response.

She entered the office, again closing the door shut behind her. Uchiha-san was sat facing the right way this time, his gaze hooked to the computer screen in front of him.

"Uchiha-san," she began politely. "Ino told me that I would be accompanying you to the meeting. Is there anything you need me to do before then?"

Onyx eyes lifted to meets hers for the very first time, and she felt a strange sensation inside her, something she'd never felt before. His eyes, she mused, reminded her of endless dark pits, capable of swallowing you whole. They appeared almost empty of emotion – hardened – which bothered her for some strange reason. Eyes were supposed to be windows into a person's very soul. To see them void of emotion felt almost wrong to her.

"That's right," he answered tonelessly, gesturing to the file sitting on the desk beside him. "Take this file and memorise each section, so that you'll know what I'll need when I ask you for it. You will also need to take notes. I want all important parts of the meeting noted."

She nodded, reaching out to take the file. "Is there anything else you want me to do?"

"No."

She left the office, returning to her desk to quickly browse through the file, memorising each section like she'd been told to do. By the time she was done, it was almost time to leave for the meeting. The file and everything else she would need lay ready in front of her. Now all she needed to do was wait for her boss to make an appearance.

Whilst she waited, she received a phone call from Tenten to inform her that Kiyoto-san had arrived and was on his way to the meeting room. After she'd thanked Tenten and put the phone down, the door to Uchiha-san's office finally opened and the man himself walked out.

"Kiyoto-san has arrived, Uchiha-san," she informed him, standing up.

He nodded in response and started moving. Grabbing her things, she followed him as he headed towards the lift. They made their way down to the 30th Floor in silence, where the meeting would take place.

She kept her distance from the man whilst they travelled in the lift, somehow sensing he wasn't too fond of people being near him, judging from the way his body was all tensed up. It was like he was expecting her to jump him or something, she noted in amusement. She was almost tempted to tell him to relax, but knew he wouldn't really appreciate such a remark.

The lift doors finally opened and they walked out onto the 30th floor, heading towards meeting room 5. She moved forward to open the door for them and they finally entered the meeting room. The clients were already seated, she noted, and smiled when she saw Suigetsu in the room. Uchiha-san sat down in the seat that was obviously intended for the head of the table, his movements confident and graceful at the same time.

"Uchiha-san," one of the clients greeted him. "I'm really grateful that you were able to take out time from your busy schedule to meet us."

Uchiha-san merely nodded. "Let's get started, shall we?"

The meeting started and Naruko merely watched from a distance as she took notes, moving to assist her boss when he required her help. It was fascinating to see the great Sasuke Uchiha in action. Everything about him practically screamed self-confidence and power. She could see now why he was such a successful businessman.

The meeting soon ended and she followed Uchiha-san out of the room when he was done. Suigetsu had stayed behind to answer questions. They entered the lift once more, making their way back to the 50th floor.

They'd only made it past the 35th floor when the lift gave a sudden lurch and stopped moving. The light blinked several times before going out. Startled, Naruko moved out of impulse, grabbing the closest thing to her, and that just happened to be the arm of her boss. As soon as their bodies made contact, she felt a vivid electric current race though her body and gasped.

Dark eyes immediately turned to glare at her, a hint of surprise in them. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He demanded.

She felt her cheeks go red, quickly letting go and moving backwards until her back hit the wall of the lift. "I'm sorry," she apologised quickly. "I was just startled."

"Hn."

She waited in the darkness, blinking when light suddenly hit her eyes. Uchiha-san had his phone out, his back turned to her as he tried making a call, cursing out loud when it didn't work. He flashed his phone's light across the lift's panel, glancing at the buttons. He pushed the one for emergencies, waiting impatiently for some kind of response.

There was a crackle and a voice was finally heard through the speaker. "What's the problem?"

"The lift's stopped working," Uchiha-san muttered angrily. "I suggest you get it fixed and right away, if you want to keep your job."

The voice on the other end was quick to answer, no doubt realising who was talking to him. "We'll get started on it immediately, Uchiha-san. Please don't worry."

"I'm not the one who should be worried," Uchiha-san retorted. "You have five minutes."

Naruko observed in silence, still slightly in shock over what'd happened. What was that feeling, she wondered confusedly. She'd never felt anything like it before, and she was sure he'd felt it too, whatever it was.

He was standing with his back to her and she could see he was still tensed. Just what was his problem, she pondered. Why couldn't he just relax or something? "You know," she started somewhat casually. "It's not a crime to relax last time I checked. All that tension in your back could lead to back problems."

He turned to face her immediately, his eyes narrowed. "Be quiet," he replied sharply.

It was now her turn to frown. "You can't tell me to shut up," she responded immediately, getting worked up. Just who the hell did he think he was?

He snorted. "Yes, I can," he muttered arrogantly. "In case you've forgotten, you work under me, which means you do as I say."

She took a step forward defiantly, not in the least bit intimidated. "I work for you, yes, but it doesn't say anywhere in my contract that I shut up when you tell me to," she tossed back.

His eyes widened slightly, as if he'd been surprised by her words. Before he could respond, they were distracted by a humming sound. The lights came back on and the lift started moving again. He looked back at her, an unreadable look in his eyes.

She stared back, waiting to see if he would say something but he didn't. When the lift doors finally opened, he simply turned away and walked back out. She exhaled out loud when he was gone, willing the pounding in her chest to calm down. Now _that_ was something she hadn't been expecting, she mused as she left the elevator. When she finally reached her desk, she glanced at his office door and saw that it was closed.

Placing the files and notepad back down, she settled down in her chair, deciding to forget what'd happened and concentrate on her work, but it was easier said than done. Images of those dark eyes kept appearing in her mind, distracting her. It got to the point where she couldn't help but glare at the office door before her. Why was she thinking about him anyway? He was nothing but a stupid jerk with no manners who thought the world revolved around him!

Forcing herself to look away and ridding all thoughts of him from her mind, she turned back to her work, determined to get as much of it done as possible.

* * *

She blinked when the phone rang an hour later, startling her from her work. The caller I.D display showed that it was her boss calling. She picked up the phone immediately. "Hello?"

"Come here," was all he said before the line went dead.

She got up and headed towards his office, hesitating for a split second before she knocked on the door. Was he still angry about what she'd said to him in the lift, she wondered worriedly. Even though she didn't really regret her words, it didn't mean that she wanted to get sacked. After she'd been given permission to enter, she walked inside, making sure there were no signs of her nervousness showing.

He didn't look up as she approached his desk and whether that was a good sign or a bad, she didn't know.

"You called me, Uchiha-san?"

He still didn't look up and she waited, taking the time to observe him. His face once more lacked any kind of expression, making it difficult for her to work out if he was mad or not.

"Take these files and organise them in the same way as the other one you went through earlier," he interrupted her thoughts without looking up. "I need them before the next meeting."

She relaxed somewhat. "I'll have them ready before then," she assured him, mentally relieved that there wasn't any sign of anger in his tone. It was like what'd happened earlier had never happened.

She waited another few seconds before she reached forward to take the files lying on the desk beside him and turned to leave, recalling that the next meeting was at 3.30, which left her with less than two hours to get the files ready, not including the hour she would be on her lunch break.

She decided to organise the files before she went for her lunch break. Everything else could wait until after she'd returned. It was best to get the work out of the way and then she could enjoy her break without any worries. Closing the office door behind her, she hurried towards her desk and opened the first file on top of the pile. Remembering the way the other file had been organised, she set to work.

* * *

An hour or so later, she'd just started on the last file when she heard one of the office doors open. Looking up, she noticed it was Ino's.

The other blonde smiled in her direction and hurried towards her. "When are you taking your lunch break?" She asked her. "I was thinking we could go at the same time. There's a really great restaurant just down the road. We can go there if you want?"

Naruko nodded eagerly. "Sure," she agreed. "I've just got to finish organising this last file. Can you wait about ten minutes?"

"I'll give you fifteen," Ino grinned at her and turned to leave. "Come get me when you're ready," she called over her shoulder before heading back to her office.

Eager to get some food into her empty stomach, she hurried through the last file and placed it on top of the others. Once she was done, exactly ten minutes later, she made her way towards the now familiar office door and knocked on the door. A whole minute ticked by and still there was no response. She knocked once more, waiting impatiently for some kind of answer but didn't get any.

Pushing the door open slightly, she took a peek inside and discovered an empty room. It was then her ears picked up something. Curious, she entered the office, the door closing shut behind her soundlessly. Taking a few hesitant steps forward, she eventually heard what sounded like someone talking heatedly in the distance and it sounded like it was coming from one of the closed doors to her right.

Deciding to leave the files on his desk and make a quick exit, she hurried towards his desk. The sound of something smashing suddenly made her jump and she turned to glance sharply in the direction the sound had come from. Before she could react further, one of the doors she'd been staring at opened and her boss came storming out, looking furious.

His eyes widened slightly when he saw her before they narrowed dangerously. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I…I…" Her voice cut off when she saw him move angrily towards her. Her eyes widened in panic before she closed them shut tightly, her body moving instinctively into a defensive position. "I'm sorry," she muttered quickly. "I-I tried knocking on your door but there was no answer. I only came here to return the files to you, and ask if I could go on my lunch break."

She swallowed nervously when she didn't get a reply and tried to still her hammering heart. He was standing right in front of her, she could feel it. Opening one eye hesitantly before she opened the other one too, she was shocked to see him staring at her with the same unreadable expression from earlier. His eyes… They were completely empty of emotion, just like before.

"Don't enter my office without permission next time," he warned her from where he stood, less than a metre away. "Even if it means you have to wait outside that door all day."

She nodded distractedly, her eyes never leaving his. He turned away first, breaking the eye contact, and she blinked, as if snapping out of a daze. She felt her cheeks warm when she realised she'd been staring.

Turning quickly, she completely forgot about the desk right behind her and banged her knee painfully on the side. Crying out from the sharp pain, she almost fell forward with the files still in her arms but felt hands grab her instantly. Her eyes widened in shock – the pain temporarily forgotten – when she felt electric currents shoot through her body again, like it'd done earlier when he'd touched her. She steadied herself when she felt his hands disappear abruptly, leaving her strangely cold in the process.

"Leave the files on the desk," he muttered tonelessly as he turned away. "You may go for your break now."

Confused and a little disappointed, though she couldn't work out why, she was only dimly aware of placing the files on the desk and slowly limping her way out of the office. Once she was outside, she released the breath she wasn't aware she was holding, and took a moment to calm down. She glanced down at her leg, noticing an ugly bruise appearing.

Uttering a sigh, she looked up quickly when she heard a door open close by, quickly composing herself when Ino reappeared.

"Hey," the other blonde called out. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "Let me just grab my bag."

When she stepped away from the desk, she silently prayed Ino wouldn't notice her slight limp or the bruise, but was disappointed when blue eyes immediately noticed both things.

"What happened to your leg?" Ino hurried to her side, bending down slightly to examine it. "That's one nasty bruise."

"I banged my knee on the desk," she explained hurriedly.

"Can you walk?"

Naruko nodded. "It doesn't really hurt much," she said.

"Are you sure?" Ino didn't look too convinced.

"Positive," she answered with a bright smile.

"Okay," Ino said, "but let me know if it starts to hurt."

"I will," she assured her quickly. "Let's go, I'm starving."

Ino laughed as she turned to lead the way. Naruko glanced once more at Uchiha-san's office door, feeling something constrict in her chest before she looked away, turning to follow her work colleague.

* * *

"So, Naruko," Ino began once they were seated at a table at the restaurant, waiting patiently for their order. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Naruko blushed at the question, shaking her head quickly.

Ino's mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?" She sounded shocked. "How could a hot woman like you not have a boyfriend?"

She shrugged her shoulders in answer, not really too sure what to say. "I haven't really got time for a boyfriend, to be honest," she finally admitted.

Ino tilted her head to one side, giving her an examining look. "You've never had one, have you?"

The blush returned. "No, not really," she muttered softly.

Ino gave her a huge smile. "Don't be embarrassed," she chided her gently. "There's nothing wrong with that. Personally, I find it cute. Let me guess! You're waiting for that special one, aren't you?"

Naruko looked away, her eyes suddenly distant. "I haven't really thought about it and that's the truth," she answered candidly. "I've been busy trying to fulfil my dream of making something of myself," a small smile appeared on her face. "Even though they're no longer here, I wanted to make my parents proud."

Ino seemed taken aback, but then her face relaxed and she smiled, placing her hand over hers. "That's a wonderful dream," she said kindly. "I'm sure your parents would be very proud and happy to see where you are today, Naruko."

She smiled. "Thanks, Ino," she said. "I rarely open up to someone so soon, but there's something about you that tells me I can trust you."

The other blonde gave her a heart-warming smile. "I got that vibe from you, too," she revealed. "It actually feels like I've known you forever. Who knows, maybe we were friends once upon a time in another life."

Naruko chuckled. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Their food arrived at that point and they started to eat, exchanging small talk in-between bites. The atmosphere was very peaceful, yet, Naruko couldn't hold back her thoughts from distracting her. Luckily, Ino didn't notice. It would've been very awkward having to explain what she was thinking about, or more specifically, _who_ she was thinking about.

She didn't know what to make of the whole situation. Even though she was confused, she wasn't completely naïve either. It was true that she didn't have much experience with the other sex, but that didn't mean she was completely clueless. She'd heard more than a few stories from the girls in college and university after all.

Even so, it still didn't make any sense. She couldn't be feeling attracted to Sasuke Uchiha, of all people. It was stupid! They were like the complete opposites of one another, and more importantly, why would someone like him even give her the time of day? It wasn't that she thought less of herself, no. She was merely stating facts. They were worlds apart in every way.

"Did Uchiha-san order any lunch?" Ino asked suddenly, as if the thought just occurred to her.

Naruko snapped out of her thoughts. "Um, not really," she frowned.

Ino rolled her eyes. "He always tends to forget when he's engrossed in his work," she sounded amused. "It's probably best for you to keep an eye on him. We'll pick up something for him and you can give it to him."

Naruko sighed inwardly. "Okay."

Ino called the waiter and placed an order for takeout. While they waited, they finished up the last of their meal.

"That was great," Naruko patted her stomach contentedly. "Thanks for bringing me here again, Ino."

Ino waved her words aside. "You don't have to thank me, silly. I'm actually glad to have someone who I can come here with. I usually have to threaten that idiot, Shikamaru, to come with me, even though most of the time it doesn't work!"

Naruko giggled, picturing the scene easily in her head. She watched as Ino glanced at the time, and they both noted that they only had another ten minutes left before their break ended. Luckily, the waiter arrived with Sasuke's food at that very moment.

"Perfect timing," Ino said out loud as she stood up after they'd paid the bill. "We better get a move on."

Naruko nodded in agreement as she too got up, flinching when she felt a sharp pain in her leg.

Ino noticed, her blue eye narrowing with concern. "Maybe you should take some painkillers," she advised immediately.

"It's okay," Naruko assured her quickly. "It doesn't really hurt much now."

Ino ignored her completely. "I have some painkillers in my office," she said. "I'll give them to you once we get back."

Naruko couldn't bring herself to admit that she couldn't take painkillers because she couldn't swallow them. It was probably best to just take them silently and hide them away from Ino's sharp eyes when she wasn't looking. Chuckling lightly to herself, she followed Ino outside, trying to keep the limp out of her walk but not quite managing it.

Looking up ahead, her eyes landed on the building owned by Uchiha Industries and she glanced at the very top, where she assumed the 50th floor would be. As she stared, she felt a strange flutter in her stomach, which continued to linger even after it'd first appeared, much to her displeasure. Ignoring it completely, she continued to follow Ino, not really looking forward to seeing her boss again…

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have it. The second chapter has been completed. So, how was it? I know some of you might think I'm moving a bit too fast. It may seem that way but it isn't, trust me. This is only just the beginning!

Please review and share your thoughts. I would love to know what you lovely people think!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I was hoping to update sooner, but didn't get the chance, so please accept my apologies. Thank you for all your wonderful feedback, I was pleased to see all the good response. I guess I was worried about it being a stupid idea for nothing, lol!

Hope you enjoy the new chapter…

* * *

**All you need is love…**

**Chapter 3**

Naruko hesitated outside her boss's office, her gaze wandering aimlessly over the surface of the door. She knew she was going to have to face him sooner or later, seeing as there was no way of avoiding him after what'd happened, not unless she quit, of course, which she couldn't do for obvious reasons. It wasn't that she was embarrassed, no. She was just a little worried he was still angry, and an angry Uchiha-san could be very intimidating, something she'd found out the hard way.

The only solution to the problem was to simply act like nothing had happened, she decided. Trying to figure out what'd happened in that office was only going mess with her head and cause problems. She was only here to work and that was exactly what she was going to do.

With new-found confidence, her hand moved forward to knock on the door. Though, at the same time, a small part of her mind couldn't help but hope he wouldn't reply.

"Come in," a voice called out distractedly from behind the door.

She sighed inwardly, accepting her fate, and pushed open the door. Her gaze landed on her dark-haired boss immediately. He was sat behind the desk, his dark eyes focused completely on the file in his hand. She recognised it immediately as one of the files she'd sorted out for him earlier.

"Um, Uchiha-san," she started hesitantly. "Ino and I went to eat at a nearby restaurant. We bought you something to eat as well."

"I'm not hungry," was the reply she got. He hadn't even bothered to look up.

She frowned slightly. "It's not good to work on an empty stomach," she answered, making sure to keep her voice casual. She knew for a fact he wouldn't appreciate someone chiding him, especially her. "You'll get a headache. The next meeting starts in an hour. You should eat before then."

He looked towards her sharply. "I said, I'm not hungry," he repeated firmly. "Don't you understand what that means?"

She paused for a second, quickly considering her options. She could either leave with the food or without the food. Deciding on the latter, she flashed him a bright smile.

"I do," she responded pleasantly, moving to the table on the other side of the room, where she placed the bag she'd brought with her and started removing its contents. "But I can't have my boss starving himself now, can I? Not only that, but it's wrong to waste good food, especially when it's your favourite!"

She opened the plastic containers, letting the mouth-watering aromas of tomato soup and onigiri into the room and readied the utensils the restaurant had provided before looking expectedly back at him.

He was glaring at her, just like she'd assumed, making no move to get up.

His behaviour was almost child-like, she thought, mentally rolling her eyes. It wasn't as if she was forcing him to eat a plateful of broccoli or something similarly disgusting so why did he have to be so difficult?

She started making her way towards the door. "I'll let you eat in peace then," she flashed him another smile; completely ignoring the death glare he was sending her. "Enjoy your meal, Uchiha-san!"

With that, she left the office, closing the door quietly behind her and returned to her desk, unable to hold back a giggle as she recalled the look on his face.

As she settled down in her chair, her gaze landed on a plastic cup filled with water and two painkillers. The sight brought a smile to her face. Ino was such a sweetheart. There was no doubt in her mind the blonde would soon become one of the few close friends she had in her life.

Even though there were many people she'd encountered in the past, very few became close friends with her. There was a time when she used to crave for people to notice her, to talk to her, to be her friend. Loneliness could do that to a person, particularly one who didn't have any loved ones. If it hadn't been for her goal to make something of herself, she would've lost it a long time ago.

School had been a painful experience. Everyone used to ignore her, acting like she didn't exist. She'd watched from a distance as her school mates laughed and talked to one another, her heart slowly breaking into pieces on the inside as she longed for the same.

Things hadn't changed until she'd started college. It was where she'd made her very first friend. Thinking about the red-head now, she couldn't help but smile fondly. Gaara had been a loner just like her. He didn't have any parents either, except for a brother and sister who he avoided. When she'd first seen him, it felt like she was looking in the mirror at herself. His eyes had the same lifeless look in them. She soon approached him, determined to be his friend, but he'd ignored her. It hadn't stopped her though. She continued to pursue him, for her own sake as well as his. In the end, it'd taken her breaking down before him to make him realise why she couldn't leave him alone. Ever since that day, they'd been close friends.

Their paths had separated at the end of college when both headed to different universities, but they'd stayed in touch up until this day. The last time she'd seen him had been on her birthday three months ago when he'd surprised her with a visit. He was now running a small but successful trading company with his brother and sister. They'd sorted their differences out after he became friends with her.

They lived three hours away so neither of them was able to see each other as much as they wanted to but she didn't mind. Gaara was always a phone call away and he always answered her calls. There was nothing they hid from one another. He was like the brother she'd never had.

She made a mental note to call him later. It'd been a few days now since they'd last spoken. Returning her attention to what lay before her; she threw the painkillers away, muttering a silent apology to her friend at the same time, and took a sip of the cool water. It wasn't her fault she couldn't swallow the damn things. They were too big, and the reason why she had to settle for the dissolving kind.

Glancing at the wall clock, she decided there was enough time for her to go over the files kept in the cupboard behind her before the next meeting. Ino had advised her to do it as soon as she could so she knew what was in there, just in case she needed anything from there in future.

Unlocking the cupboard with the key she'd also been provided with, she started on the first shelf, quickly browsing through the first file before she moved onto the next. She noticed everything was in alphabetical order and filed in the same way she was now familiar with. It definitely made things a lot easier for her.

Keeping an eye on the time, she continued her way through them one by one…

* * *

When there were only fifteen minutes left before the meeting, she closed the last of the files, smiling in satisfaction. She'd managed to get the job done just in time. Now all she had to do was wait for Uchiha-san to make an appearance.

As she readied her things, her thoughts drifted to the dark-haired man, wondering if he'd eaten the food she'd left in his office. There was no way he couldn't have. No one could resist their favourite food. If someone had brought her ramen, she would've dropped everything she was doing in order to feel that heavenly taste in her mouth. Her mouth watered at the thought. She was going to have to drop by Ichiraku's today after work. Their ramen was the best she'd ever tasted.

The phone ringing startled her from her thoughts, and she quickly answered when she saw it was her boss. "What can I do for you, Uchiha-san?" She asked immediately.

"Come to my office," he answered before the line went dead.

She flinched as she stood up, pain shooting from her injured knee. The bruise had turned even darker than before and there was also some swelling, she noted with resignation. It was going to linger for a good few days, and so was the pain. Hobbling her way to her boss's office, she waited after knocking on the door, and walked inside when she heard a "Come in."

The first thing she noticed was the untouched food lying where she'd left it. Keeping the disappointment from appearing on her face, she moved to repack the cold food, silently cursing the man for being so stubborn. Once she was done, she turned back to him, waiting patiently as he placed the paperwork into his suitcase.

There was another knock on the door, and once Uchiha-san had given whoever it was permission to enter, the door opened to reveal Ino.

Naruko instantly brightened at the sight of her favourite work colleague who smiled when she saw her. She was going to be accompanying them for this meeting.

"Shikamaru told me to give you this," Ino placed a file on their boss's desk. "He's with Suigetsu. They're going to meet us there."

Uchiha-san simply nodded as he picked up the file, browsing through it quickly before closing its shut once more. He glanced over at Naruko. "Take these files. We'll need them for the meeting."

Naruko moved to pick them up, giving each of them a quick inspection.

"Why didn't you eat your lunch?" Ino asked him after she'd noticed the bag sitting on the table.

Uchiha-san ignored her question as he got to his feet, picking up his briefcase before he headed towards the door. The two blondes exchanged meaningful looks before they followed him.

They left the office one after the other. Naruko ignored the pain emitting from her leg as she struggled to keep up with him, picking up the things she would need from her desk as she walked passed it. Ino had offered to hold them for her but she'd refused.

Ino and Uchiha-san discussed the legal aspects of the up-coming meeting in the lift, whereas she listened in silence, letting her thoughts get the better of her. She didn't know what to make of the man standing behind her. She'd been disappointed to learn he hadn't eaten the food, even though the logical part of her mind wasn't surprised. It was stupid of her to hope he would listen to her. Maybe he genuinely hadn't been hungry, she pondered. Or it could be he was stressed out about something? It would explain what she'd witnessed earlier in his office.

The lift stopped on the 30th floor once again, and they headed towards the same room as before, but this time for a completely different reason. This meeting held greater importance than the last one, because Uchiha Industries was on the verge of merging with another company, Haruno Corporations, which many others had tried to take over, including Uchiha Industries' rival, Hyuga Enterprises. It was either due to sheer luck or Uchiha-san's cleverness. One or the other was responsible for convincing the company's president, Kizashi Haruno.

They strolled into the meeting room right on schedule, and greeted Haruno-san who was sat waiting on the other side of the huge table, surrounded by his own advisors. Suigetsu and Shikamaru were already in the room. Everyone took their seats, and the meeting began.

Naruko sat beside Uchiha-san, so she was able to attend to his needs with ease. She readied the files her boss needed before noting the date and time on her notepad. Again she sat back and simply observed as the others started talking, keeping up with them easily as she wrote what was being said. It was the first time she'd seen Ino and Shikamaru in professional mode, and she was impressed, especially by Shikamaru. Underneath that lazy man was nothing short of a genius, she was forced to admit. Together, they made an excellent team, and it was no wonder Haruno-san was signing the agreement an hour later.

The end of the meeting was soon called, and once Haruno-san and his advisors had left, congratulations were in order.

"Man, it's like you were born to do this," Suigetsu smirked as he leaned back in his chair, looking completely relaxed. "I think this calls for a celebration!"

Ino immediately agreed. "I second that!"

Shikamaru merely sighed as his head collapsed on to the table in front of him, no doubt wishing he was elsewhere having a nap.

Uchiha-san tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingers, looking like he was mulling the suggestion over as he sat back in his chair.

Naruko kept quiet as she scanned her notes, closing her notepad once she was done. She placed the files in a neat pile before returning her attention to the others. Uchiha-san didn't really seem all that pleased for someone who'd made such an important deal, she noted as she glanced at him. There'd been a small gleam of accomplishment in his eyes earlier when the agreement was signed, but that was it. It was really strange.

"Well?" Suigetsu looked eagerly at the dark-haired man, a sly look appearing on his face. "What's it going to be? I'm sure Hyuga won't be too pleased when he finds out. I know you hate parties, but it's worth it if you get to see the look on his face!"

Uchiha-san frowned at the other man. "Do you take me for a fool, Suigetsu?" He said. "I can see right through your pitiful attempt at convincing me."

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Don't be such a loser, man," he pouted childishly. "It's been ages since we last threw a party!"

"He's right, Uchiha-san," Ino joined in eagerly. "This was a big deal for us. It would be a waste to let the opportunity go by."

Uchiha-san got to his feet after closing his briefcase shut and turned to leave. "I'll think about it," was all he said before heading towards the exit.

Naruko stood up without thinking, quickly regretting it when she cried out in pain, her hand moving unconsciously to grip her leg. All eyes turned to face her at once, including a certain pair of dark ones.

Her hand hurriedly released her leg as she straightened, looking away from those dark eyes as she felt her face warm. "Uh…sorry about that," she muttered embarrassedly.

Ino was eyeing her with concern. "Did the painkillers not work?" She asked worriedly.

Naruko sighed. "I guess not."

Suigetsu glanced from one to the other. "What happened to her?"

Naruko stepped away from the table, revealing her bruised knee. "I bumped into the table," she explained casually, keeping her eyes from straying towards her boss.

Suigetsu whistled as he eyed her knee. "That is one nasty-looking bruise!"

Naruko gathered the files quickly, gritting her teeth as she ignored the pain. "It's not as bad as it looks," she lied, moving to catch up to her boss who'd already left the room. "I'll see you guys later!" She called over her shoulder.

Once she'd left the room, she exhaled resignedly. It was one thing after another, she mused whilst she walked down the corridor, unable to help but feel a little sorry for herself as she glanced down at her knee. They were probably assuming she was clumsy or something, with her luck, and considering the way everything was going today, she could only pray the day would end without any further drama. Hopefully, it wasn't too much to ask.

She finally caught up to her boss, and entered the lift after him, pushing the button for the 50th floor. She stood to one side, looking anywhere but at him.

"You should get some ice to calm the swelling."

Blue eyes widened in shock. She turned to glance at him, wondering if she'd been hearing things. "Um, did you say something, Uchiha-san?" She said out loud, looking perplexed.

His eyes met hers, a scowl appearing on his face when he noticed her bewildered expression. "Is there something wrong with your hearing?"

She blushed at the comment. "No," she answered quickly. "I was just…a bit surprised, I guess."

"Hn." He looked away, signalling the end of that short but interesting conversation.

"Thank you," she said softly after a minute of silence, a small smile appearing on her face.

He didn't answer, not that it mattered. She knew he'd heard her.

It'd taken her a moment to get over the shock, which was completely comprehensible. Out of all the people present in this very building, her boss definitely did not make the list of people who would bother to show her any concern. There was clearly more to him than she'd first realised. Maybe he wasn't the cold-hearted person everyone made him out to be.

She followed him out of the lift and towards his office, grinning slightly. "What shall I do with these files, Uchiha-san?" She asked him once he'd sat down.

"Give them to Ino," he answered without looking at her. "She keeps all the important legal files."

"Okay," she replied before turning to leave. At the door she hesitated. "Uchiha-san?"

"What is it now?" He sounded impatient.

She turned back to glance at him. "Can I get you something to eat now?"

He paused in the middle of removing the documents from his briefcase, looking up at her in annoyance. "Are you always this persistent?" He questioned her with a frown. "It really isn't any of your business whether I eat or not."

She flashed him a bright smile. "I know it isn't any of my business," she answered warmly. "It's just that I know what it's like to forget to eat when you're busy. I know it would cheer me up if someone offered me food so thought you might like it, too!"

"Is that so?" He didn't sound at all impressed.

She nodded, deciding to ignore the sarcasm. "So, shall I order your favourite again? I don't know how you managed to resist it earlier, but then again it's not ramen, so I don't really blame you," she perked up suddenly when an idea struck her. "Maybe you should try ramen? It's the best! I know for a fact you're going to like it!"

He gave her a disgusted look. "Ramen is disgusting," he replied coldly. "Now get out of my office."

She pouted childishly, forgetting for a moment who she was talking to. "Don't insult ramen when you haven't even tried it!" She argued. "It's better than tomato soup, that's for sure!"

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Get out right now."

"Okay, I'll order your favourite, Uchiha-san," she grinned at him. "It shouldn't take too long. Bye now!" She gave him a wave before exiting the office, closing the door shut behind her and turned to stick her tongue out at the closed door.

"That was very mature," a lazy voice commented from behind.

She almost jumped out of her skin, turning to face the owner of the voice she'd heard. "Shikamaru," she smiled brightly when she saw it was him, showing no sign of being embarrassed. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Troublesome," he muttered, moving to knock on Uchiha-san's door. "It must be a blonde thing."

Naruko smirked as she headed towards her desk. "Don't worry. I'll let Ino know you said that!"

She giggled when she heard him sigh resignedly. Both of them knew Ino could be quite vicious when she wanted to be. She would find some way of making him pay, that's for sure.

Placing the files down on her desk, she reached for the phone, checking the receipt for the restaurant's number before calling them to make an order. Once that was done, she picked up the files and headed towards Ino's office…

* * *

"You said what to him?" Ino's mouth dropped open in shock as she stared wide-eyed at the other blonde before her.

"I told him to try ramen," Naruko repeated slowly, not understanding why Ino seemed so shocked. She'd only just come by to drop off the files, but ended up narrating what'd happened in the office purely for the sake of conversation.

"You told him to try ramen?" Ino repeated before she burst out laughing.

Naruko pouted as she gave her a mock glare. "Why are you laughing? It's not even funny!"

"I wish I'd been there to see the look on his face," Ino muttered in-between giggles. "I bet it was hilarious!"

"He said ramen was disgusting, and then told me to get out," Naruko scoffed as she recalled the look on his face. "I did not find it amusing one little bit!"

Ino simply rolled her eyes as she locked the files away in her cupboard. "Ramen is fattening, you know. I hope you don't eat it often."

"I eat it almost every day and I'm not fat!" Naruko argued. "It's just a rumour started by the ramen haters, I tell you. They're just jealous!"

The sound of the phone ringing out in the corridor had Naruko pause in the middle of her rant. "I'll better get that," she said, missing the amused look on the other blonde's face. "See you later, Ino!"

She hurried out of the office, wondering if the caller was her boss. He probably wouldn't appreciate being kept waiting. Luckily, it wasn't him. "Hello?" She said as soon as she'd answered the phone.

"Took your sweet time answering, didn't you, blondie," Tenten's voice sounded amused on the other side.

"I'm so sorry, Tenten," she apologised. "I was in Ino's office."

"It's okay," the brunette said. "I have someone here from the restaurant down the road. He's here with your order."

Naruko brightened immediately. "Great! I'll be down shortly…"

* * *

With the bag of food in her hand, Naruko knocked again on her boss's door, pushing it open once she'd been given permission to enter. She smiled when she noticed there was an extra occupant in the room, currently seated on one of the chairs in front of Uchiha-san's desk.

"How's your leg, blondie," Suigetsu grinned toothily at her.

She flashed him one of her own grins, happy to see the other man being so informal with her. "It's much better, thanks."

"What've you got there?" He gestured at the bag in her hand. "It smells great!"

Naruko glanced at her boss who was ignoring both of them, a file open in his hand. "I brought Uchiha-san's lunch," she answered with a smile. "He hasn't eaten all day."

Suigetsu's eyebrow rose, a sly look appearing in his eyes. "Aw, isn't that sweet. I wish Karin took such good care of me, but no, she hates me," he smirked suddenly, glancing sideways at his friend and senior. "I guess she's still annoyed about missing out on being _your_ personal secretary, the poor thing."

"Shut up, Suigetsu," Uchiha-san reprimanded him before he turned to glare at her. "Well, what are you standing around for? The table's over there."

Mentally rolling her eyes, she gave him a mock sweet smile in return. "Please forgive me, Uchiha-san," she muttered with a hint of sarcasm before she headed towards the table, silently fuming on the inside.

Sasuke Uchiha was a jerk. A stupid, annoying jerk with issues. He must've been possessed in the lift earlier. It would explain why he'd behaved so out of character. One minute he's showing concern and the next he was being his usual aloof self, something she'd already picked up about him on her first day. The guy must suffer from a split personality or something, she mused as she finished readying the food for him.

Suigetsu, it seemed, was more normal. At least he had a sense of humour and was nice to her. How those two even got on was beyond her, or more specifically, how Suigetsu tolerated being around him was a big shock in itself. She'd lost count how many times she'd wanted to lash out at him today, but didn't want to push it after she'd refused to endure being told to shut up earlier. He hadn't said anything in return, much to her relief and surprise. Maybe she'd surprised him by defending herself, who knows.

Once she was done, she left them to it, returning to her desk to finish off the rest of her day's work…

* * *

It was almost 5.45 in the evening when she realised her shift would be ending soon. The past couple of hours had kept her busy, barely giving her a chance to even glance at the time. Ino and Shikamaru had left a while ago, their work for the day completed. She hadn't heard from Uchiha-san either. He was still in his office, doing God knows what.

Stifling a yawn, she stood up slowly, being careful not to further strain her leg any more than she'd done already. She would ice it later when she got home. Hopefully, it would get rid of the swelling at least. There was no way she could handle another day of limping around like an idiot.

Deciding to ask her boss if he needed her assistance with anything else before she left, she made her way to his office, knocking firmly on the now very familiar door.

"Come in," he called out.

As usual, he was sat behind his desk, his eyes glued to the monitor in front of him. He seemed kind of tired, she noticed as she approached him. "I finish work in 15 minutes," she told him. "Do you need me to do anything for you before I leave?"

"No."

She watched him for another second. "Okay," she turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow then, Uchiha-san. Have a good night."

She paused suddenly, her gaze catching sight of something lying on the floor by his desk. It must've fallen, she guessed as she bent down to retrieve it. She turned it over, since it was lying upside down, and discovered it was a photograph. It was of a little kid who she was surprised to learn was her boss once upon a time and a boy much older than him giving him a piggyback ride. She smiled at the sight, especially when she noticed both of them smiling.

She blinked when the photograph was suddenly snatched from her hand, looking up immediately to see dark eyes glaring at her. Uchiha-san stood before her, not looking very happy. "How dare you…"

Before he could continue, she cut him off. "I'm sorry. It was lying on the floor so I picked it up. I didn't mean to look."

He exhaled sharply before turning away. "Leave," he ordered her icily.

She sighed quietly as she watched him stalk to his desk, open the drawer and shove the photo inside it. He didn't look back at her once, but she could sense the anger radiating off of him. Her hand unconsciously reached towards him for some reason, feeling the need to say something but not sure what.

Deciding it was probably best to leave, she headed towards the door, pausing to look back at him one more time before she left. Once the door had closed shut behind her, she relaxed.

That picture, she pondered, was undoubtedly one her boss hadn't wanted anyone to see and greatly cherished. It was why he'd reacted the way he'd done when she'd seen it. The older boy in the photo had to be his older brother - the one who'd disappeared after leaving everything in his brother's name.

An image of the photo flashed in her mind as she moved to pack her stuff and lock up. Anyone could clearly see the brotherly love in the picture. Those dark eyes, which now held nothing but emptiness and anger had once shone with happiness.

Her eyes drifted towards her boss's door once more, unable to hold back the sad look in her eyes…

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have it! Was it good? Did you like it? Please review and share your thoughts. I'll be waiting eagerly. Until next time…


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm sorry it took so long. I didn't think it would be so difficult to write Sasuke's POV for the first time in this story, but it was, so you can blame him entirely.

Thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed, and added this story to their story alerts/favourites. I really appreciate you taking the time to read this story.

Hope you like the new chapter!

* * *

**All you need is love…**

**Chapter 4**

The sound of the alarm going off reached the ears of the dark-haired man sleeping on his bed, his pale features twisting in annoyance as soon as he stirred awake, moving automatically to turn off the irritating sound. His head fell back against the soft pillow, taking a moment to wake up properly. He opened his tired eyes after a minute or so, looking up at the familiar sight of his bedroom's white ceiling with a frown.

It'd been another one of those restless nights, the ones he detested. The few hours of sleep he'd managed to get had consisted of nothing but flashbacks of memories he'd locked away in the dark corners of his mind, wanting nothing more to do with them, but like everything unpleasant in his life, it was never-ending, and there was no way of avoiding it, even at night.

Ever since the day he'd received news of his parents' deaths, his life had been turned upside down overnight. His father, who he'd never got on with, had always preferred his older brother, declaring from the very start that he would be his successor. It'd bothered him greatly as he grew older, striving to seek his father's attention by working as hard as he could. Yet, no matter what he did, it was never good enough. Eventually, he'd decided to back off, silently declaring to prove himself when the time came, and focussed entirely on his studies, the only thing he could do back then to achieve what he longed for.

It just so happened that before he could gain his father's respect it was too late. His parents were both gone, leaving him and his brother alone to deal with the family's business and the media's spotlight.

Pushing back the covers, he got out of bed, clad in only his black boxers, and headed towards the bathroom adjoining his room. He stripped, moving to stand beneath the shower head as he turned the water on. He closed his eyes before the lukewarm water hit his body, reaching routinely for the shampoo.

Dealing with his parents' death had been really difficult, and he'd handled his loss the only way he knew how. He hid his pain, burying it deep inside him, his attention completely on his studies, while Itachi immediately took over his father's position as the President of Uchiha Industries.

For a whole year they continued to ignore one another, until that one night which changed everything between them for good – the night when the reality of Itachi Uchiha was revealed to him.

He'd been in a bad mood that night, and it didn't help that he'd been drunk. Somehow or the other, he'd ended up confronting his brother, his emotions getting the better of him. He still couldn't quite remember up until this day what he'd said, but his brother's words, however, he recalled clearly, words that'd shocked him into silence at the time.

Itachi revealed what he'd never considered even once. It turned out his brother had given up his own dreams in order to carry out their father's wishes. He'd never wanted anything to do with Uchiha Industries, and had been pressured into doing so. The only reason why he'd even bothered to put up with it had been for his sake, so he wouldn't have to suffer through the same stress.

Itachi knew what he wanted and was willing to give it to him. His plan had been to gain the position of the President of the company from their father, and later place everything in his name when he was ready to take on the role.

And then, just like that, things had changed between them. It took some time, but eventually they started to get over what'd happened in the past. As a child, he'd looked up to his brother and cared greatly about him. That was before he'd noticed his father's lack of attention on him and blamed Itachi for it, their bond eventually severing. After that night, he realised that Itachi had never stopped looking out for him, even though he'd hated him at the time and decided to make up for lost time.

Things were finally looking up, but then hell broke loose once more.

His brother, who he'd detested and envied for most of his life, who he'd stopped talking to ever since the day father had shifted all his attention to him, who he now cared greatly about and looked up to, had disappeared, leaving everything in his name, including the family business.

He sighed inwardly, onyx eyes briefly letting down their barriers to reveal the emotions hidden behind them from everyone else. It was as if it'd happened yesterday, but in reality, it'd been six years since Itachi had disappeared without a trace, and up until this day, there'd been no sign of him.

He'd tried everything he could to find his brother, but it was as if he'd disappeared from the face of the planet. No one, not even the most advanced detectives, could find him.

He didn't want to even think about why Itachi had decided to disappear from his life so abruptly, knowing his brother wouldn't make such a drastic decision without a valid reason, which he would learn as soon as he found him.

He stepped out of the shower, drying his body with the towel hanging on the rail close by before wrapping it around his waist. He walked towards the bathroom sink, taking a moment to peer at his reflection in the large mirror.

He saw a pale face empty of emotion looking back at him, his eyes just as lifeless as the Uchiha mansion he lived in alone. He wasn't even sure why he continued to live in a house full of bad memories he wanted nothing more than to forget, but knew he couldn't leave. Even today, he could hear echoes of his mother's laughter, Itachi's endless teasing and the other few good memories he still cherished closely.

Leaning over to brush his teeth, he pushed back the thoughts he couldn't seem to ignore and concentrated on getting ready for work.

He paused suddenly, narrowing his eyes in annoyance when an image of a blue-eyed blonde appeared in his mind. He couldn't quite decide what to make of her as he recalled all the events that'd occurred involving her yesterday. She was annoying, maybe not so much as that leech, Karin, and his other brainless fan-girls, but she was close.

Suigetsu had been really impressed by her, assuring him that she wasn't like any of the other women, who were only after the job in order to get closer to him, and that he could tell her reasons for wanting the job were strictly professional, which was partly the reason why he'd given his consent in the first place, the other reason being her qualifications. So far, she hadn't given him a reason to complain, except for that time when she'd walked into his office without permission, or when she'd come across the picture of Itachi and him. If he ignored any of that, then he could probably withstand her for a bit longer.

There was something about her, though. She seemed…different somehow, unlike all those other females he'd had the misfortune of coming into contact with, who were only interested in getting closer to him. She'd surprised him more than anything when she'd defended herself in the elevator when he told her to shut up. It somehow made a big difference in his opinion of her, especially when the only other woman who'd ever spoken to him in such a manner had been his mother.

And then there was the other thing he'd been ignoring up until now, that brief spark, or whatever the hell it'd been, when they came into physical contact. It'd surprised him, he wasn't going to deny that, but it wasn't anything he was too concerned about. He'd always avoided anything to do with the other sex, and he wasn't about to change his ways anytime soon.

Having finished his business in the bathroom, he headed back to his room to get dressed, not wanting to be late…

* * *

The mask of indifference stayed on his face as he stepped out of the car when he finally reached Uchiha Industries, letting his driver close the door behind him. He ignored everyone who greeted him, especially the eyes following him as he made his way towards the lift, waiting impatiently whilst it moved steadily towards the 50th floor. He wasn't what you would call a morning person, never had been, which is why his level of patience was at an all time low when he came into work, and everyone who knew him, or worked under him, was aware of that.

The lift doors finally opened, and he started making his way towards his office. He ignored the blonde as she greeted him with a "Good morning, Uchiha-san."

Finally reaching his office, he made his way towards his desk, placing his suitcase down before he sat down. The predicted knock on the door came exactly five minutes later, and the blonde walked in after he called out a "Come in."

He dimly noted her words as she narrated his schedule for the day and other important notes while he went about with his usual morning tasks.

"Uchiha-san, I hope you're not still mad about what happened yesterday," she said after a brief moment of silence.

He looked up then, seeing the worry in her eyes. "I don't have time to worry about something so meaningless," he responded in his usual icy tone, knowing it would get to her.

He was right, like always. Women were so predictable.

"I see," she answered somewhat stiffly. "Was there anything you needed, Uchiha-san?"

"No."

The door closed behind her as she left, and he leant back in his chair, settling down to read his personal emails. The detective who he'd hired to find Itachi had sent him a detailed report of his lack of success, which officially put him in a really bad mood. He quickly typed up a short reply, informing the incompetent fool that his services were no longer required and sent it. He was going to have to find someone else to do the job.

His hand drifted to the drawer on his left and removed the picture he'd shoved in there yesterday, gazing intently at it.

I will find you, Itachi, he silently vowed.

* * *

The morning went by quickly, and before he knew it, it was already afternoon. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, according to his schedule, except for the meeting with the board members at 3. Like always, he'd buried himself in his work, finding it was the only thing capable of completely distracting him from his thoughts.

While he was scanning the latest update on the company's profits, he dimly heard a knock on the door and called out for whoever it was to enter.

Suigetsu's familiar voice greeted him with the usual "How's it going, Sasuke?"

Sasuke merely nodded a greeting, and finished scanning the last few details before looking up. "What is it now, Suigetsu?" He muttered in barely concealed annoyance.

Suigetsu rolled his eyes at the comment. "Man, do you have to always be so uptight? Just relax already. I don't need a reason to drop by to see my friend, you know!"

"Hn."

"That's not even a word," Suigetsu reminded him for the thousandth time.

Sasuke didn't respond, already knowing the sharp-teethed man would get to the point eventually. This was more or less a daily occurrence of theirs. There was always a reason behind his visits, even though he would deny it.

Just like he'd predicted, Suigetsu coughed into his hand before opening his mouth to reveal what he'd come for. "So, have you decided about having the party yet or not?"

Sasuke mentally rolled his eyes. "I don't need to," he said. "We're not having one."

Suigetsu immediately groaned his disapproval. "Come on, Sasuke, quit being so dull. It's been ages since we last threw a party, and it's about time we had one. I even ordered the perfect suit for the occasion!"

Sasuke wasn't impressed. "That's too bad. You can always save it for your wedding, I suppose."

Suigetsu narrowed his eyes at him. "Haha, very funny! Your jokes are just as boring as you."

"It wasn't a joke."

A moment of silence passed between them after Suigetsu's brief complaining. Sasuke continued with his work, ignoring his friend's sharp gaze on him. It was obvious he was considering the best way to get him to agree for the stupid party, something which wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"Um…" Suigetsu started hesitantly before the words rushed out in one go. "Ihaveaconfessiontomake."

Dark eyes instantly narrowed in suspicion, having made out the words easily. "What did you do?"

Suigetsu gulped visibly. "I…kind of…might've…mentioned the party to a friend," he choked the words out, closing his eyes tight when he felt the intensity of the death glare aimed at him. "I'm sorry. I was drunk and didn't realise. Don't be mad."

Sasuke exhaled several times in order to calm the sudden impulse to strangle his friend and toss him out of the nearest window. When that didn't work, he tried counting slowly backwards from ten, willing the anger to leave his body. It finally eased somewhat, and he was able to glance at his stupid friend without getting the urge to kill him.

"It won't be too bad, Sasuke, I promise. I'll make sure to keep the fan-girls away from you."

The murderous thoughts came back with a vengeance. "Get out."

Suigetsu took one look at him before legging it out of the office, pausing at the door to look back over his shoulder to flash him a toothy grin. "I'll buy you a suit of your choice to make up for this, and that's a promise."

Dark eyes flashed dangerously, a tint of red appearing in them momentarily. "I said, get out!"

Suigetsu quickly disappeared, closing the door behind him.

Sasuke sighed in exasperation, closing his eyes as he leant back in his chair, a hand reaching upwards to massage his forehead when he felt signs of a headache coming to life.

Today was turning out to be a one of those days he hated with a passion, the ones where things just seemed to worsen as the day progressed. First it was the email from that pathetic excuse of a detective, and now this. He scowled, cursing Suigetsu for his stupidity. There was no way he could avoid not having the party now, especially since word was sure to spread, and it would eventually reach the media. It'd been well over a year since Uchiha Industries had last thrown a party, and he knew the media would no doubt make this a big deal.

He cursed Suigetsu once again before reaching forward to pick up the phone, pausing when he heard a knock on the door. He called out for whoever it was to enter, and conveniently it was the very person he was about to call.

"I've brought your lunch, Uchiha-san," Naruko informed him, moving towards the table with a bag in her hand.

He waited impatiently for her to finish, calling her over to his desk when she was done. He kept his eyes on the computer screen in front of him, barely even glancing at her. "I've decided to hold a party to celebrate yesterday's deal," he told her. "Inform the Event Co-ordinator, and get her to make a start on the arrangements. I want everything done before the the weekend at the latest."

"I'll take care of it, Uchiha-san," she responded without missing a beat. "Does this mean you want to have the party next week?"

He nodded. "Check my schedule and pick an appropriate day. That's all for now."

He waited until she'd left before he glanced at the table, a frown appearing on his face when he heard his stomach grumble. Judging from the smells, there was definitely something with tomatoes in it. Ino had no doubt revealed his fascination with tomatoes. Unable to ignore the pangs of his empty stomach any longer, he got up to eat…

* * *

He hated attending the board meetings, deeming them pointless since he personally kept track of everything that concerned the company, and didn't need to be told twice. Nevertheless, it was a necessity that had to be done, and every month on the same date, he found himself sitting at the head of the large table, listening to the voices around him. This time, however, his mind was distracted.

His solicitor had called a while ago with good news. Apparently, the useless detective who he'd emailed this morning had found something, and requested permission to continue with the case. Itachi's friend, Kisame, who they'd also been trying to locate since he'd disappeared at the same time as Itachi, had been spotted in a remote part of Japan. His unique semblance had, of course, been the reason for that.

He'd demanded for a detailed report on what the detective had found, and had given him permission to continue with the search. He was the only one who'd found anything. Even though Itachi was doing an excellent job of covering his tracks, there was no way he would ever give up on finding him.

The news had surprised him, without a doubt. After six years of nothing, it was progress, no matter how small it may seem. He could only hope it would lead to good news. The need to see his brother had intensified tremendously over the years, and if it wasn't for the company, he would've been out there looking for him personally.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he realised someone was calling out to him, noticing all eyes were on him. The meeting had no doubt ended, and they were waiting for his usual speech towards the end.

"The company's profits have increased substantially this month, something I am pleased about," he said. "Yesterday's deal with Haruno Corporations was a big one, which brings me to make another announcement. I've decided to hold a party to celebrate our success, and if all goes as planned, it should be sometime next week."

The announcement had obviously surprised everyone, judging from the looks on their faces. He couldn't really blame them, since it was rare for Uchiha Industries to throw a party. His hatred for parties wasn't exactly a secret, and he only attended them when it was important for the company's image.

He ignored the grin on Suigetsu's face, vowing to get him back some way or the other. With nothing more to add, he stood up, barely noticing the others getting up around him. After grabbing his briefcase, he turned to leave.

Naruko followed him out, clutching the paperwork in her arms. As soon as they'd entered the lift and it started moving, he found his gaze drifting towards her, his mind unexpectedly recalling what'd happened yesterday when the lift had temporarily stopped working. He frowned at the thought, pushing it away. Why was he thinking about that anyway, he wondered. It wasn't like him to think about something so meaningless. Maybe the lack of sleep was finally catching up on him.

She suddenly turned to look at him. "I spoke to Akari-san – the Event Co-ordinator – just before the meeting. She said she wanted to meet up to discuss the arrangements for the party. I told her I would speak to you first before arranging anything. What do you want me to do, Uchiha-san?"

He sighed inwardly, not having to guess why she wanted to meet up with him when it wasn't really essential. After all, Uchiha Industries had been using the same Event Planners ever since he'd taken over as the President of the company so they were obviously aware of his requirements.

"Get Suigetsu to deal with it," he eventually decided.

She made a pathetic attempt at hiding a smile. "Okay."

He frowned. "Any particular reason you find my words funny?"

She seemed slightly startled by the question but recovered quickly. "No, it's not that," she quickly muttered. "It's just that…I think I can understand your reason for not wanting to meet with her."

His eyebrow shot up. "Is that so? What reason would that be, then?"

She blushed, avoiding his sharp gaze. "Um…judging from the way she seemed persistent about meeting you, she was clearly one of your 'fan-girls', and I know you're not too fond of them."

He narrowed his eyes at the answer, a bit surprised that she actually was brave enough to say such a thing, not that it wasn't the truth. "Hn."

"Uchiha-san?"

"What?"

"What does 'hn' mean?"

The lift chose that very moment to open, saving him from answering the question. He moved past her and started heading back to his office without a backwards glance…

* * *

He was just closing a file before him when the sudden sound of rain coming down heavily reached his ears. He glanced at the time, noting it was already 6 in the evening. Standing up to stretch his arms, he wandered over to the large window, frowning down at the sight before him.

The rain was coming down fast, and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon, much to his displeasure.

"_What's wrong, little brother?" Itachi lips lifted in that familiar smirk. "You're not afraid of a little rain, are you? Or maybe you just don't want to get your hair wet…"_

A small smile appeared on his face as he recalled those words, despite the fact that they made his heart clench at the same time.

The sound of a knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts, and he called out for whoever it was to enter.

"It's time for me to go home now, Uchiha-san," a familiar bright voice greeted him. "Was there anything you wanted me to do before I leave?"

"No. You may leave."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Uchiha-san. Have a good night."

He didn't answer, too focused on the rain outside, and she left, closing the door shut behind her. The clock continued to tick as he looked down at the almost colourless display before him, his eyes wandering aimlessly. He paused suddenly, narrowing his eyes when he spotted something lively amidst the absence of colour.

It was her, Naruko, he realised on closer observation. She'd rushed out to greet the rain with a bright smile on her face, spinning around several times like an idiot, not caring at all that she was getting wet. He scoffed at her actions, but couldn't seem to take his eyes off her, watching her intently until she'd disappeared from sight…

* * *

A/N: Well, how was it? I wouldn't say I'm an expert at writing Sasuke's POV, because I'm not. He's much harder to write than Naruko. Personally, I don't know if I did a good enough job or not. I guess I'll let you guys decide.

I'm not too sure where I'm going with this story, but I'm going to try and make it as different as possible, and not rush into anything. I really can't stand the stories where they rush into the relationship and everything just seems too fast forward. It's nice to read something different every once in a while.

I hope you can spare a minute of your time to review and tell me what you liked about the new chapter, or if you noticed any mistakes, even though I always double check everything.

That's all for now. Until next time…


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm so, so sorry about the late update. You can blame my hectic life for not giving me enough time to write anymore. It really is annoying.

I want to thank all those wonderful people who reviewed the last chapter. Your lovely feedback put a big smile on my face, and I really am sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. Hopefully, this new chapter would make up for it.

One thing I should probably point out is that the whole thing with Itachi is nothing major in this story. It will play a part, but a small one. My main focus will be getting Sasuke and Naruko to fall in love, and try to make it as original as possible.

Anyways, that's all for now. Enjoy!

* * *

**All you need is love…**

**Chapter 5**

"_Achoo!"_

Blue eyes narrowed in annoyance as Naruko sneezed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, silently cursing herself again for getting carried away in the rain yesterday. She reached for the mug of coffee on her desk, inhaling the strong smell before taking a much-needed sip of the steaming liquid, sighing in contentment as she felt it warm her insides.

Today had started off badly and she was sure all those people who'd woken up to realise they had the dreadful cold would agree wholeheartedly with her. It was funny in a way, since she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a headache, let alone a cold. She was someone who rarely ever got ill so it was a bit surprising – and annoying – that it had to happen now.

Well, at least the cold medicine she'd gotten from Kiba before coming to work seemed to be working. The sore throat wasn't bothering her as much and the blocked nose was almost cured, thankfully. There was nothing she hated more than dealing with a blocked nose when she had work to do. Now, if only the irritation in her nose and the sneezing would go away also.

She glanced at the time, noting there were still ten minutes to go until Uchiha-san arrived. Ino and Shikamaru were already in their offices working, having arrived just a little while ago.

She already knew today was going to be a busy day, after having checked her boss's schedule yesterday before finishing work. There were several important meetings booked, which she would also need to attend, not to mention the preparations for the party next week.

She hoped it wouldn't be a long process, as she was doing all of this for the very first time. Akari-san – the Event Planner- was going to come in tomorrow to see Suigetsu and discuss the arrangements. Once that was all sorted, she would take over and make sure everything went accordingly. It would mean making a lot of phone calls and keeping regular contact with Akari-san who she'd gathered from just one phone call to be one of those stuck up women who thought they were better than everyone else.

Not that it mattered, for she knew exactly how to deal with those kind.

Smirking, she glanced at the time once more, dimly noting five minutes had passed.

Well, at least when it came to the work, everything seemed to be going well, she mused. So far, she hadn't made a mess of things and was learning everything at a reasonable pace. Ino had been really helpful and was only a call away if she was unsure about anything. It was a lot easier than she'd first thought.

The only problem, however, was a certain jerk who she couldn't seem to stop thinking about, no matter how hard she tried not to.

The thought instantly brought forth a memory of narrowed, dark eyes in her mind, making her sigh resignedly. He was nearly always on her mind, ever since she'd come across that photo of him and his brother, Itachi. What'd happened in the office had brought up many questions in her mind, something she couldn't help but wonder about.

The sound of the phone ringing once before it stopped snapped her out of her thoughts, her eyes instantly drifting toward the direction of the lifts. The caller had been Tenten. The phone ringing once before it cut off was the new way of informing her that Uchiha-san had entered the building and was on his way up.

She forced herself to turn back to her work, knowing she'd already wasted enough time on her thoughts, but when the sound of the lift doors opening sounded in the distance she couldn't help but look up.

He strolled into view gracefully, dressed in a white suit with a blue scarf wrapped around the slender slickness of his collared neck. He was speaking on the phone, looking straight ahead with narrowed eyes as he walked past her.

Her "Good morning, Uchiha-san" went unheard, like always.

She rolled her eyes when he disappeared into his office, the door closing shut behind him soundlessly, and turned back to the letter she'd been finishing off before her thoughts had distracted her.

When that was done five minutes later, she stood up, grabbing hold of the stack of mail and paperwork she needed before heading towards her boss's office. She knocked on the door, waiting patiently for permission to enter, and pushed open the door when it came.

He was sat before his desk with his briefcase opened in front of him, leafing through a file in his hand, a frown on his face. He didn't look too happy, she noted, not that it was anything new.

She approached his desk, placing the stack of letters on his desk before she reminded him of the meetings he needed to attend for the day, to which he merely nodded.

"I want you to rearrange my meeting on Friday with Takashi-san to sometime next week," he told her, after clearing his throat.

She nodded, frowning when she noticed his voice sounded slightly heavier than normal. "I'll call him as soon as I get back to my desk, Uchiha-san," she answered.

He nodded, placing the file down before he reached for the stack of mail. Taking that as her cue to leave, she turned away and left the office quietly…

* * *

After going through the letters, feeding the unimportant ones to the shredder and keeping the ones he needed, Sasuke closed his eyes, taking a moment to gather his thoughts as he leant back in his leather chair.

He felt exhausted, and it was only the start of the long day. It'd been like this ever since he'd woken up, only to find he had a headache and what would soon be a very sore throat.

It was his fault, he knew. Why he'd felt like taking a walk when it was pouring with rain, he had no idea, especially when the sensation of getting soaked to the skin hadn't been a pleasant one. At the time he'd been too busy thinking to even notice.

Managing the company took up nearly all his time, and he was glad he had Suigetsu to give him a hand. The last six years had literally breezed by, most of it spent in this very building, where he worked on taking this company to even higher peaks. It was already one of the most successful companies in the whole of Japan, and soon it would be known internationally as well, just as soon as they were given the latest contract he had his sights on.

Taking their business out of the country was something he'd been in two minds about for quite some time now. The fact that there'd been no sign of Itachi up until now had been the sole reason why he'd been hesitant about going ahead, since it would mean personally going out of the country, which he hadn't wanted to do just in case news of his brother's whereabouts were discovered.

In the end, he'd decided to go ahead. The board of directors had supported his decision, not that he cared about their opinion. Everything had already been discussed and planned. He would be leaving in two weeks. Suigetsu would run the company in his absence, keeping regular contact with him, just in case he needed to discuss anything important. Ino and Shikamaru were already aware of this trip, since they were the ones who'd handled all the legal and financial matters. The only person left to inform was Naruko who would be accompanying him.

He wasn't completely sure if she was actually ready for something of this kind. From what he'd seen so far, she seemed to have no problem in picking up on what needed to be done, and there'd been no sign of any kind of mistakes. Ino was full of compliments for her, which obviously meant that she was impressed. With nothing to use against her, even if he wanted to get rid of her, it only meant she would be sticking around.

This contract was very important for the company, which meant there was no room for mistakes, something he would make sure to put across to her.

He opened up his emails, quickly browsing through the work related ones before he turned his attention to his personal account. He leaned forward slightly when he noticed an email from the private detective he'd hired. It seemed the man had left to pursue the trail he'd discovered, and stated he would be in touch as soon as he found anything.

He sighed, pushing back thoughts of his brother. It wouldn't do to think about all of that right now.

A hand reached up to massage his throbbing temple, dimly noting how hot his skin felt. The observation made him frown, but he pushed it aside for now. There was work that needed to be done…

* * *

Lunchtime didn't come quick enough, in Naruko's opinion. Maybe it was the fact that she had nothing but coffee for breakfast, she concluded, willing the lift to move faster as it travelled downwards.

"Oh, God," she complained. "Can't this thing move any quicker?"

Ino let out a chuckle upon seeing the expression on her face. "You look like you're about to pass out," she commented.

"I feel like it, too," she answered grumpily. "My poor stomach's dying for food."

Ino merely shook her head in amusement. "Don't worry, we're nearly there. Two more floors to go!"

They'd decided to get something to eat from the lunch hall today, as they were feeling a little too lazy to walk to the restaurant nearby. Naruko wasn't complaining, seeing as she couldn't afford to eat out nearly every day. Until her paycheque didn't come through, all she had were her savings to survive on.

It was her first time visiting the lunch hall, and she was slightly surprised to see how huge it was, but then again it was designed to accommodate everyone who was working in the building so obviously it was going to be big. It wasn't really packed at the moment, which wasn't all that surprising as it was just after midday. Lunch for most people was usually after 1, according to Ino.

There was a large variety of food available, even if they didn't sell ramen – something she couldn't help but mentally groan about. Ino immediately headed towards where the healthy food was. Naruko followed her, watching with an expression of distaste as she picked up a box of mixed salad.

Completing ignoring the healthy food, she headed towards where the sandwiches and baguettes were located. Her blue eyes scanned the choices and eventually decided on a chicken salad sandwich, just as Ino appeared by her side.

"Is that all you're getting?"

"It's going to take more than that to fill me up!" Naruko grinned, grabbing a packet of chips, a bar of chocolate and a bottle of water.

Ino stared at the chocolate with longing. "I can't remember the last time I had one," she muttered despairingly.

"Well, why don't you just get one?" Naruko told her. "I don't get why you even need to diet anyway. You look great."

"I look great because I'm on this diet," Ino pointed out. "Some of us have to be careful what we eat, you know."

Naruko couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Fine, but just remember it's your loss, not mine."

After paying for their food, they sat down at an empty table, and Ino immediately started complaining about Shikamaru's tardiness and how it was getting out of hand lately. Naruko listened half-heartedly, her mind on other things.

The morning had been pretty eventful, and she hadn't had the time to even think. It was one thing after another, and having a moody boss to deal with on top of that wasn't exactly what one would call the icing on the cake. It was a relief to get away from it all, even if it was only for an hour.

Though, she couldn't help but wonder the reason behind his bad mood today.

Eventually, Ino picked up that she wasn't paying attention and glared accusingly at her. "You're not listening to a word I'm saying, are you?"

Naruko mentally groaned at having been caught. She thought she's been doing a good job of pretending to listen, but guess she'd been wrong. Rubbing the back of her head, she gave Ino an apologetic look. "Sorry, Ino. I guess I'm a little distracted today."

The blonde narrowed her eyes attentively. "What's wrong?" She asked her. "Did something happen?"

Naruko took a bite of her sandwich, chewing slowly as she mulled over what to say. She'd been considering the option of confiding in Ino, in the hopes of getting some answers. Glancing at the blue eyes lighter than her own watching her expectantly, she knew she could trust her.

"It's Uchiha-san," she finally admitted. "I was in his office yesterday when I saw something lying on the floor by his desk and picked it up. It was a picture of him and his brother," she revealed. "He wasn't too happy when he looked up and saw it in my hand. I guess what happened just left me a little curious, I guess."

Ino sighed, her eyes suddenly looking sad. "I know he misses Itachi a lot, even if he never shows it. I can't believe it's been six years already."

"What happened to his brother?" Naruko couldn't help but ask.

Ino seemed genuinely surprised by the question. "What, you mean you don't know? It was like the biggest news around that time. Itachi disappeared out of the blue one day and no one could find him. It was later discovered that he'd left the entire business and everything to the Uchiha name to his little brother. Sasuke was only twenty, at the time, and had just recently graduated. He had no choice but to take over Itachi's role. As for Itachi, there's been no sign of him, up until this day. It's like…he vanished."

Naruko frowned. "But why would he just leave like that? It doesn't make any sense."

"I wondered the same thing, for a long time. It wasn't like Itachi to do such a thing. There must've been a very good reason behind it."

Naruko nodded distractedly, letting her mind mull over what she'd learned and knew.

She knew how it felt to lose someone you cared about, and could imagine what her boss must be feeling deep down, even if he hid it from everyone else. First his parents' death and then the disappearance of his only sibling. It was no wonder he was so cold and detached from everyone.

Mentioning what'd happened to Ino had been a good thing. At least this way she'd found the answers to some of her questions…

* * *

Dark eyes glared daggers into the page of the file he was currently trying to read, but was unsuccessful due to the loudmouth currently sat opposite him, yapping on and on about the upcoming party he couldn't wait for. His head was starting to feel like it was on the verge of splitting.

"…Oh, man, Sasuke. This party is going to be the best. That babe – Akari, or whatever the hell her name is – is coming to see me tomorrow. I'll take care of all the arrangements, man. Don't you worry about a thing…"

"Will you be quiet," he muttered in annoyance.

Suigetsu exhaled loudly, leaning back in his seat in a huff. "Man, you have issues. I'm talking to you about something important and all you do is tell me to shut up."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Hn. Anything that includes partying is important for you. Why don't I see that enthusiasm when it involves work?"

"What are you talking about, man? You know I love what I do. It's just that everything's in its own place, you know what I mean. I have to have a life beyond this building otherwise I'll go crazy."

He wasn't impressed. "Pathetic."

It was now Suigetsu's turn to roll his eyes. "What's wrong with you today?" He said, peering closely at him. "Usually it takes you about five minutes before you tell me to shut up, but today it took you less than two," he tilted his head to the side. "Hmm… You do look slightly paler than you normally do. Don't tell me you're sick, man!"

Sasuke ignored him, glancing at his Armani watch, frowning when he noticed there were still twenty minutes remaining before Naruko returned from her break. Maybe he should've said yes when she asked him if he wanted his lunch before she left with Ino. This stupid headache was starting to affect his concentration, and he needed to eat before he could take some damn painkillers.

"So, how's it going with the presentation?" Suigetsu asked him, no doubt picking a safe topic to talk about. "You mentioned it was nearly ready."

Sasuke placed the file he was looking over down, reaching for another inside his drawer before he tossed it across the desk.

Suigetsu skimmed through the pages, after picking the file up, nodding in approval once he was finished. "It's brilliant, as expected," he grinned. "I would be very surprised if they didn't give it to us."

"Hn. Have you heard from Sai yet?"

Suigetsu nodded, placing the file back on the desk. "He hasn't heard or seen anything to indicate that Hyuga's also after this contract, but that doesn't mean a thing. Hyuga's a sly one, as you already know. We won't know for sure until the very last minute."

Sasuke frowned, having predicted such a response, for Hyuga was indeed a sly one. It often happened that Hyuga Enterprises clashed with Uchiha Industries in such cases. They had become rivals over time, where both fought to get the top spot. The deal with Haruno Corporations had been a pleasant victory for him, one he couldn't help but mentally smirk about. He was definitely looking forward to seeing the look on Hyuga's face at the party, even though he hadn't exactly admitted it out loud.

Suigetsu knew him a little too well at times, another thing he wouldn't acknowledge verbally.

"Make sure you send Hyuga an invitation," he said out loud...

* * *

Pale fingers typing on the keyboard paused for a split second, when the sound of someone knocking on the door was heard, before they continued. Dark eyes briefly glanced at the time and narrowed. She was on time, like always.

"Come in," Sasuke called out monotonously, his attention returning to his work.

The door opened and closed shut noiselessly.

"Uchiha-san?" Naruko called out. "I've brought your lunch."

"Leave it on the table," he responded without looking up, frowning as he reread what he'd typed so far. Once he was satisfied, he saved the file and closed it down. Sensing movement to his right, he looked to the right, just in time to see a hand placing a box of painkillers on his desk.

"This should help with the headache, Uchiha-san," Naruko said brightly. "But make sure you eat something first."

He looked up in time to meet her eyes. "Did I mention anything about having a headache?"

The question momentarily caught her off guard. "Um, no… It's just that I saw you rubbing your forehead earlier and assumed your head might be hurting," she explained, scratching the back of her head bashfully.

"Hn," he pushed back his chair as he stood up, moving towards the bathroom to wash his hands. "Get back to work," he called over his shoulder.

He didn't have to look to know his comment had annoyed her, not that he cared. He wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone, let alone her. Hearing Suigetsu's nonsense earlier had pretty much killed the little patience he might've had today.

Pushing the bathroom door open, he made his way towards the sink, glancing at his reflection in the mirror on the wall and frowned. His skin did look more pale than usual, he noted almost instantly. Turning the tap on, he washed his hands thoroughly before he splashed some water over the heated skin of his face, drying it with a towel nearby.

Upon returning to his office, he noticed Naruko had left and sat down to eat. He didn't recognise the smell coming from the box of takeout, even if it did smell nice. Wondering what the idiot had got him this time, he opened it, only to stiffen briefly in surprise before he narrowed his eyes.

Ramen.

She had ordered him ramen...

* * *

It was later in the evening, after the last two meetings had ended, when Naruko could finally exhale quietly in relief. She glanced slyly at her boss, who stood a small distance away from her in the lift they were in, grinning inwardly as she recalled just what she'd ordered for him to eat for lunch. The idea had struck her out of the blue, and no matter what she did she couldn't seem to let go of it.

And everyone who knew her knew how hard it was for her to let go of a good idea when it popped into her head.

So a call to Ichiraku's had been made – of course, she knew the number by heart – and it'd taken great will power not to order extra for herself, since she'd already promised Ino she would eat lunch with her today.

The only thing she regretted was not being able to see the look on his face when he'd opened the takeout box. Oh well, it was something she would have to live with. The only thing left to wonder now was if he'd eaten it. Part of her hoped that he had, wanting to prove to him that ramen was truly the best food out there, whilst the logical part of her mind concluded that he'd probably thrown it in the bin.

He hadn't said anything to her, something which'd gotten her hopes up. It was probably what gave her the courage to ask him.

"Uchiha-san," she started casually, looking anywhere but at him. "Did you enjoy your lunch today?"

Dark eyes, unbeknownst to her, narrowed at the question.

When there was no answer, her eyes finally turned to him, only to widen slightly. Maybe it was the fact that she was standing so close to him, or maybe it was the light that she was even able to see it. His skin…seemed so pale, compared to what it normally looked like.

Was he sick, she wondered, recalling how heavy his voice had seemed today, almost as if he had a sore throat. If he was ill, then why hadn't he said anything? She could've ordered him some of that medicine Kiba had given her. It had done wonders to cure her symptoms.

The lift doors chose to open at that very moment, snapping her out of her thoughts, and she hurried after him.

"Um, Uchiha-san?" She called out hesitantly, just as he was entering his office.

He paused, not bothering to turn around. "What is it now?"

"Are you…feeling alright?"

A muscle twitched in a pale cheek. "Stop wasting my time with your stupid questions," he muttered, clearly irritated. "As for that disgusting lunch you ordered me, I suggest you remove it from my office. The smell of it is making me sick."

Blue eyes widened in shock before they narrowed in annoyance. Before she could help it, her mouth started to move on its own accord. "I was only asking if you were okay, Uchiha-san. There's no need to get so angry!"

"You weren't hired to enquire about my health but to fulfil your position as a personal secretary. I suggest you keep that in mind and get on with your work," he retorted before he disappeared into his office.

She stewed silently in anger on the inside as she followed him inside, heading straight towards the table she'd left his lunch on. Shoving everything into the bag it came in, she turned around and left the office. Returning to her desk, she threw the bag into the bin before settling down in her chair moodily.

Why was she even wasting her time worrying about someone so rude and cold-hearted, especially when he'd insulted her precious ramen again? If he preferred being ill and not doing anything about it, then so be it! She could care less!

* * *

Meanwhile, behind closed doors, Sasuke was rushing towards the bathroom, bending over the toilet seat just in time before he was being sick for the second time that day.

"Damn it," he cursed, straightening unsteadily after he'd flushed the toilet.

He made his way towards the sick where he washed out his mouth with water before reaching for his toothbrush. As he went about getting rid of the horrid taste in his mouth, he couldn't help but reflect back on what he'd said to Naruko. Maybe he'd been a little too harsh. She'd only enquired about his health, after all.

But then again no one had asked her to show concern. She was only here to work, just like he'd pointed out. There was nothing wrong with that. If she couldn't seem to grasp that then it wasn't his problem. Just what had she been expecting anyway?

He glanced at the time on the wall, noting it was almost 5. Why did it feel like the day was dragging, or maybe it was just him? The sudden urge to ditch everything and get in bed and sleep surprised him. Usually, such thoughts never even crossed his mind so why were they appearing now?

This sickness was definitely messing with his head, he decided, closing the bathroom door behind him before he made his way back to his desk…

* * *

It was almost 7 by the time Naruko was finished with all her work for the day. Stifling a yawn, she logged out of the computer system before she stood up, glancing at the office door nearby. As much as she didn't feel like seeing the jerk's face, she had no choice. She had to inform before she left.

Ino and Shikamaru had left an hour ago, having finished with their work for their day. Luckily for them, they didn't have to notify anyone before leaving. Sighing resignedly, she headed towards the devil's den, pausing at the door before she knocked.

Seconds ticked by, but there was no answer. She knocked again, frowning impatiently. Was he ignoring her on purpose, she wondered, deciding to wait a few minutes before she knocked again.

A few minutes soon turned into twenty, and there was still no response. Annoyance had quickly turned into worry as she pondered over what to do. He had warned her not to enter without permission, but he wasn't answering her knocks or her calls. There was simply nothing else she could do. She was going to have to go in.

Pushing the door open hesitantly, she peered into the office, immediately spotting him sat at his desk, with his head placed in his arms. She couldn't see his face.

Was he asleep? Though, if he was, wouldn't he have woken up to the sound of her knocks?

"Uchiha-san?" She called out.

No answer. He hadn't so much as moved.

She entered the office, quickly moving towards him. She stopped when she was standing beside him, looking down at him worriedly.

"Uchiha-san, are you okay?"

Her hand reached forward to nudge his shoulder, her eyes widening when she noticed how hot he felt through the layers of clothes. Without hesitating, she moved to touch his hand, narrowing her eyes when her suspicions were proven right. He had a fever, and, judging from how hot he was, it had to be a high one.

"Uchiha-san," she nudged him harder. "Wake up."

It only occurred to her then that he might've passed out and she panicked…

* * *

A/N: Things are about to get interesting… Don't forget to review!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Apologies for the very late chapter! This is starting to become a really bad habit.

Thank you to all the lovely people who were kind enough to leave me a review. I really appreciated all the positive feedback.

Hope you like the new chapter!

* * *

**All you need is Love…**

**Chapter 6**

"Damn it! What do I do, what do I do?" Naruko panicked, staring at the unconscious Uchiha in front of her.

There was no one else around who she could call. Suigetsu, Ino and Shikamaru had already left the building, and Tenten had finished her shift an hour ago. She had no choice but to handle the situation on her own.

Taking a moment to calm down, she weighed her options. She'd never been in a situation where she'd had to take care of another individual, let alone an unconscious one. All she could do was rely on her common sense to help her through this.

First of all, she would need to call the doctor.

Rushing out of the office, she hurried to her desk to find the electronic notepad which contained all the contact numbers. After a quick look, she found the number for Uchiha-san's family doctor.

She picked up the cordless phone and quickly dialled the number for Jugo-san as she hurried back to the office. The phone rang for several seconds before someone with a muscular voice answered.

"Hello, is that Jugo-san?" She waited for confirmation before she continued. "I'm calling from Uchiha Industries. I need you to come here immediately. I found Uchiha-san unconscious at his desk and don't know what to do. He wasn't feeling too well when he came in to work and has a high fever…"

"I see. Who am I talking to?"

"My name's Naruko Uzumaki. I am Uchiha-san's personal secretary."

"Okay, Uzumaki-san, I will be there shortly. You will need to come down to the reception area and get me when I arrive."

"Thank you. Please call me on this number when you get here. I will come down as quickly as I can."

After exchanging goodbyes, Naruko's attention returned to her boss. She knew it wasn't good for him to remain in the position he was currently in. Narrowing her eyes in thought, she pondered over what to do. She could lie him down on the leather sofa by the table, but then remembered Ino had mentioned that he had a bedroom in his office, for the days when he didn't feel like going home.

Hurrying to the two doors nearby, she opened the first one and discovered a bathroom. The second one led to the bedroom. A quick glance into the room, after she'd turned on the lights, revealed a huge bedroom furbished in the same dark colours as Uchiha-san's office. It was obviously designed to suit his taste.

Not lingering around for a closer look, she returned to his side once more and was struck with a sudden dilemma.

How was she going to get him to his bed?

There was no way she could carry him, of course, which left her with only one other option. Gently lifting him upright, she held him in place, as she pushed the chair in the direction of his room. By the time they reached the bed, she was slightly out of breath and in another predicament.

Glancing at the unconscious man first and then at the bed, she couldn't help but groan inwardly. There was no way she could get him on the bed without lifting him up, and that meant more excessive touching. Biting her lip uncertainly, she glanced at the time. The doctor would be here at any moment. There was little choice in the matter. She would have to do it.

Leaning over him, her senses were once again overwhelmed by his manly scent and tried her best to ignore it. She wrapped her arms around him before she tried to lift him. It took a few attempts but in the end she managed to lift him. Though, just as she was about to move him towards the bed, she squeaked when she suddenly lost her footing.

They tumbled onto the bed together.

Dazed, she blinked a few times and then immediately blushed when she discovered she was currently pinned to the bed underneath his unconscious body.

With his face mere inches away from hers, she couldn't help but stare at him. He looked almost childlike like this, without the usual frown on his face. His pale skin was flawless, tinted pink around the cheeks because of the fever, and his sharp features looked even more striking this close.

He truly was a beautiful man, even if he was a jerk.

And she didn't even want to think about what it felt like to have his body this close to hers. Her pounding heart was already on the verge of collapsing from a heart attack.

Feeling the warmness in her cheeks double, she wiggled her way out of the inappropriate position and moved him so he was lying on his back with his head on a pillow. She moved to take off his shoes before covering him with the expensive duvet.

Her eyes narrowed worriedly, when she felt his clammy forehead with her hand. He felt even hotter than before.

Backing away from the bed, she headed towards the door connecting to the bathroom, suddenly recalling that there was something she could do until the doctor arrived. Once she was there, she found a small bowl which she filled with cold water and then looked around for a small towel or something to soak the water in.

Unfortunately, the only towel she found was too big. Cursing lightly, she pondered over what else she could use and suddenly remembered she'd worn a scarf to work today.

After fetching her scarf, she soaked it in the water and then squeezed the water out. Turning back to her boss, she placed the wet material over his forehead.

He suddenly startled her by groaning, tossing his head to the side. His face scrunched up, as if he was in pain.

Unsure about what she should do, she glanced impatiently at the time once again. Just what was taking the doctor so long to get here?

As if he'd heard her, the loud shrill of the phone went off.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Uzumaki-san. Sorry it took so long to get here. I'm waiting downstairs."

Relieved, she smiled. "It's okay, Jugo-san. I'll be down shortly."

Hanging up, she glanced at the unconscious man on the bed, to make sure he would be okay on his own for a few minutes before she hurried out of the room and headed towards the lift. Once she'd reached the lift, it took the usual time to get to the bottom floor.

When the lift doors finally opened, she rushed towards the reception desk, spotting a man seated on one of the leather sofas in the waiting area.

He stood up as she neared him. He was younger than she'd expected, with spiky orange hair and red-orange eyes. In his hand, he carried a carrycase. The ones doctors usually carried.

"Jugo-san?"

He nodded. "I apologise for taking so long again, Uzumaki-san. How is he doing?"

She led him towards the lift. "Still the same," she replied. "He's resting in his room, at the moment."

They made their way to the 50th floor in silence. When the lift doors opened, Naruko led the way to the office. She couldn't help but hurry her steps, anxious to make sure Uchiha-san hadn't rolled over and fallen off the bed.

To her relief he hadn't.

She stood back, unconsciously biting her lip, as she observed Jugo-san pull out his equipment and check his vital signs.

"Do you know if he's been sick at all today?" Jugo-san asked her, after a while.

She shook her head. "I don't know. He didn't tell me anything."

"I see. Well, it looks like he's been over-working himself again. Nothing to worry about."

Naruko frowned. "What about his fever?"

"I'll give him an injection to help reduce the fever. All he needs to do now is rest. When he wakes up, make sure you tell him to drink plenty of fluids and get some rest."

"Okay."

She couldn't help but look away as the injection was given. She hated the damn things.

Once he was done, Jugo-san stood up. "Do you mind staying the night? He's going to need someone here to keep an eye on him."

The question startled Naruko, for she hadn't really thought that far ahead. Jugo-san was right. Uchiha-san was going to need someone to look after him, but the idea of it being her didn't seem right, for some reason. Maybe because she knew he wouldn't be too happy to see her, when he finally did wake up.

"Uh…" She hesitated.

"I know it may seem like too much to ask, but I would really appreciate it if you could," the doctor surprised her by adding. "I think I can trust him in your care."

"Um, are you two close?" She couldn't help but ask. They had to be, otherwise why else would he be so concerned.

Jugo-san smiled. "We went to school together. Sasuke, Suigetsu and I."

"Wow, you've known each other that long, huh?" Surprised, she glanced at the unconscious man on the bed. "I'm surprised you were able to tolerate his mood swings."

Jugo-san chuckled. "I've known him for many years now, Uzumaki-san. He's not a bad person at heart. He may seem cold on the outside, but he has his reasons for being like that," he said softly. "Sometimes, circumstances forces us into changing into someone we're not. Life, as I'm sure you know, hasn't exactly been kind to him."

She knew what he was talking about, obviously. The media had done a great job of announcing it to the world, after all. After hearing Jugo-san's words, she couldn't help but reflect on them in her mind. It was what convinced her in the end.

"Don't worry, Jugo-san. I'll stay and look after him."

The man smiled. "Thank you, Uzumaki-san."

"Call me Naruko," she returned the smile. "There's no need for formalities."

He chuckled. "In that case, you may call me Jugo, Naruko."

When Jugo had left, she stood before the bed, looking down at the man lying before her.

For some reason, her opinion of him had changed considerably, in the last couple of hours. Like Jugo had said, there was definitely more to him than meets the eye. Seeing him vulnerable like this, with no barriers in the way, made him seem so different. He intrigued her, in ways she couldn't quite explain.

She walked to the other side of the bed and removed the scarf from his forehead. A quick examine revealed that he was still burning up. Dipping the cloth in the bowl of water, she squeezed out the excess water before placing it on his forehead again.

He seemed to approve of the action, for he sighed contentedly in his sleep. With a smile, she moved away from him and made herself comfortable in a nearby chair, where she could keep an eye on him…

* * *

She was startled awake some time later and glanced around confusedly. Once the grogginess had worn off, she cursed, when she realised she'd fallen asleep unintentionally. Glancing quickly at the bed, her eyes widened at what she saw.

Tossing and turning in bed, it didn't look like Uchiha-san was doing too well. Worried, she hurried to his side and saw that he was still very much fast asleep. She checked his temperature and frowned, when she realised he was still hot.

"Uchiha-san, are you okay?"

He frowned and said something too quiet for her to make out. It only occurred to her then that he was having a bad dream.

She tried to wake him up but it didn't work.

"Itachi…" He sighed.

"Wake up, Uchiha-san!"

Anxious, she shook him harder and then gasped in surprise when he suddenly grabbed her wrist, holding on to it so tightly it made her flinch. She tried to get out of his grip but couldn't. He just wouldn't let go.

When it became apparent that he wasn't going to let go anytime soon, she attempted to calm him down, running her free hand soothingly through his soft hair.

"Shush, it's okay," she said gently. "Calm down."

Surprisingly, it worked after a few tries. He frowned once before his body noticeably relaxed, though he hadn't released his grip from her wrist.

Deciding there wasn't much she could do about it – not without waking him up, of course, she made herself comfortable on the side of the bed. With one hand, she wetted the scarf again and placed it on his forehead.

With little else to do, she found herself looking at him again. Did he often have bad dreams, she wondered dejectedly. She knew all too well what it felt like to lose the people you love. Even after finally making friends, the pain was still very much there. She never showed it though, hiding it behind her smiles.

"I guess we're quite alike," she said to him. "My parents died when I was really young so I know how you feel. The pain never truly goes away, no matter how much you try to get over it. Hiding it only makes it worse, I guess, but some habits are hard to let go."

Stifling a yawn, she glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was nearly midnight. No doubt it was going to be a long night…

* * *

Sasuke wasn't quite sure what was going on when he finally drifted back to consciousness. All he knew was that his whole body ached and he was dying for a glass of water. Groggily, he attempted to open his eyes, squinting a little at the light.

When his eyes had adjusted to what appeared to be morning light, he realised that he was lying in bed, which was strange since the last thing he recalled was sitting at his desk.

He felt something wet lying on his forehead and was about to reach up to lift it when he realised he was already holding on to something – something warm and soft. Turning his head sharply to the side, his eyes widened at what he saw.

Blonde hair surrounding a face he knew.

Naruko.

What the hell was she doing here?

She was asleep with her head resting on one arm. The other arm was being held by him. He instantly released the arm, sitting up at the same time, barely even noticing the folded scarf fall to the side.

The sudden movement jolted her for she woke up immediately. She rubbed her eyes to get rid of any lingering sleep before she noticed that he was awake.

She quickly got to her feet. "Uchiha-san, are you okay?"

Ignoring her question, he glared at her. "What are you doing here?" He demanded. His voice came out sounding rough, even to his own ears. It was most likely because of his sore throat.

She didn't answer. Instead, she surprised him by walking to his mini refrigerator and taking out a bottle of water. Closing it, she made her way back to him and held the bottle out. "I'm sure you're dying for some of this," she said with a smile.

He glared at her in return, glancing down at the bottle as if it was poison. His body chose that moment to betray him, reminding him that he was indeed on the verge of dehydration and the bottle was his, after all.

Snatching the bottle from her hand, he opened it, quickly emptying more than half of it. When he was done, he looked up at her impatiently.

She got the hint.

"When I finished work yesterday, I knocked on your office door but didn't get any answer. So I went in and found you passed out at your desk. You had a really high fever. I called Jugo and he came to check on you," she looked away suddenly, rubbing the back of her neck bashfully. "He asked me to stay here and keep an eye on you so I did."

He frowned, turning away to get out of bed. Distracted by his thoughts, he moved to stand up, carelessly forgetting his somewhat weakened condition. If it weren't for the hands suddenly appearing out of nowhere to steady him, he would've fallen over.

"Take it easy, Uchiha-san," Naruko scolded him gently. "You should be resting."

Surprised, though he hid it well, he couldn't help but look down at her, not missing the concern showing in her blue eyes as she looked up at him. It was only then he realised they were standing so close, close enough that he could feel her warmth, close enough that he could hear the quickening of her heartbeat...

The sound of a door opening and closing lol udly made them both jump apart.

"Oi, Sasuke!" Suigetsu called out as he rushed into the room, coming to a complete stop when he saw the two of them.

Glancing from a blushing Naruko to an annoyed Uchiha, he grinned playfully. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Of course not," Naruko replied a little too quickly, as she put some distance between them.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, turning to glance at the time. It was barely even eight. "Any reason why you're here so early, for a change?"

Suigetsu flashed him a toothy grin. "Well, you see, Jugo gave me a call. Told me you weren't feeling too good so I came by to check up on you. He failed to mention, however, that you already had someone nursing you back to health," he winked at Naruko suggestively, gesturing at her clothes. "And from the looks of it, she's been here all night."

"Suigetsu!"

Annoyed by the racket, Sasuke glared at both of them. "Will you two shut up? I already have a splitting headache."

"Fine, I guess I'm not needed here," Suigetsu muttered exaggeratedly. "I'll leave you to it."

With that, he turned and left the room, leaving them alone once more.

Feeling more than a little awkward, thanks to Suigetsu's comments, Naruko avoided any kind of eye contact. "Um… How are you feeling now?"

He sat back down on to the bed. "I'm fine."

"I think you should take a day off. I'll reschedule your meetings and appointments for the day," she told him.

He turned to glare at her. "There's no need for that," he said tonelessly. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," she said firmly, finally turning to meet his gaze. "You can barely even stand up and you have a headache. If you overwork yourself again, you're only going to make things worse. Just take the day off and recover completely."

"Are you telling me what to do?" He muttered coolly. "Have you forgotten who's in charge here?"

Naruko mentally rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. "Of course not, Uchiha-san. How could I ever forget? And no, I'm not telling you what to do. I am merely looking out for your well-being, which is also part of my job, even if you think otherwise. Just take it easy and leave all the work to me. I'll take care of everything!"

Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, trying to reign in his annoyance. Just what was it with this woman? Why did she have to argue about almost everything? On the other hand, he had to reluctantly admit she did have a point. With this damn headache, he really wasn't in the mood to interact with anyone today.

"Fine," he decided, after a brief moment. "Reschedule my meetings and appointments for today."

Naruko grinned happily. "I'll do it right away." With that, she turned to leave.

Sasuke couldn't help but stare at her retreating back, blinking a few times to get over the effects of her smile…

* * *

Naruko breathed a sigh of relief, when she was finally outside Uchiha-san's office. Never before had she felt so awkward in her life. That idiot, Suigetsu. It was all his fault! Why did he have to go and say such things? Mentally vowing to get revenge when the opportunity presented itself, she hurried to her desk and glanced at the time. She needed to call and rearrange all the appointments and meetings today.

When that was done without any kind of problem, she relaxed. Getting out of her seat, she picked up her bag and headed towards the toilet. Once she was inside, she peered at her reflection in the mirror. Surprisingly, other than a few strays of hair out of place she looked fine.

Turning the water on, she cupped some of it in her hands before splashing it over her face, repeating the action a few times. Grabbing a nearby towel, she dried it slowly, letting her mind wander.

And all she could think about was that moment when she'd saved him from falling. In that one instance, it felt like her mind had shut down and all she could see was him. Looking back at it now, she was kind of surprised that he hadn't pushed her away this time. It almost seemed like he'd been drawn in as well.

Or maybe that'd been her imagination?

Frowning, she reached into her bag to get her moisturiser.

Whatever it was she felt for him obviously wasn't going to go away any time soon, especially after last night, and denying it would be pure ignorance. She needed to deal with this problem like an adult. In other words, she needed to accept that she had feelings for the jerk and get over it, because there was no way she could act upon them.

If there was one thing she knew for sure, it was that her feelings would never be returned so there was no point even thinking about any of this. It was just a waste of time.

Decision made, she squeezed some of the moisturiser on to her hand and applied it to her face. Not bothering with makeup, she headed back to her desk to get started on her work…

* * *

After another failed attempt at getting some sleep, Sasuke ended up lying on his back, glaring up at the ceiling.

He was perfectly aware of the reason why he was unable to sleep and that reason was a particular blonde who had been in this very room not so long ago. In fact, she'd been here all of last night, apparently taking care of him whilst he'd been oblivious to what was going on.

It was this very fact that bothered him.

It was a well-known fact that he didn't trust many people. In fact, he couldn't stand them. It was why he kept them at a safe distance. At the end of the day, he wasn't stupid. He knew why they all flocked to him. It was either because of his looks, money, or in most cases both.

Over the years, he'd learned to deal with such people. He would be as coldly rude as possible, driving away all but the most aggressive of his pursuers. At which point he would go from coldly rude to aggressively threatening until they left him alone. In the very worst of cases, he would take other drastic measures, which usually resulted in the offending party disappearing from the face of the planet.

So far so good, this method had worked really well for him, but now he was in a situation he wasn't entirely sure how to deal with, considering everything that'd happened lately.

Though, there was one way of finding out exactly what had happened last night.

He glanced up at the CCTV camera positioned discreetly out of sight in the corner of the room. The exact duplicate of the one in his office and in nearly every part of the building.

Only after checking that would he decide what to do about Naruko Uzumaki…

* * *

A/N: I'm not too sure how I feel about this chapter, especially the ending. I had intended for it to end differently, but then again things never go as planned. I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens after this.

Please review and share your thoughts. I'll be waiting eagerly…


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hey, guys! Thank you for all the lovely reviews. I know it's been a long time since I last updated this story, and I really am sorry for making you wait so long. You can blame my hectic life for that!

I hope I can make it up to you with a long chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

**All you need is Love…**

**Chapter 7**

It'd been a long and eventful first week at her new workplace. Waking up today and not having to get ready for work had felt odd, after following the same routine for the last six days. Who knew she would get used to it so quickly.

After taking a shower, she'd been in the process of making some coffee for herself when she heard a knock at the front door. Already knowing who it would be, she opened the door to find a grinning Kiba with Akamaru barking excitedly right beside him.

"We're here to pick you up, Naruko!"

And that was how she found herself at the park a short while later.

It was yet again another beautiful day. The sun was beaming down on everything in sight, something all dog lovers were making the most of. Nearly everyone they passed greeted Kiba like long lost friends. It was clear they were regulars.

Cerulean eyes eagerly took in their surroundings, noting the beautiful scenery and the sound of joy and laughter all around her. It was a sight that never failed to fill her with happiness.

Unable to keep the huge grin from appearing on her face, Naruko glanced sideways at Kiba who was still searching his surroundings without any kind of success, at the same time trying not to make it too obvious.

"Looks like the love of your life isn't going to show up today," she teased him.

Kiba sighed disappointedly, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Akamaru seemed to have sensed the sudden drop in his mood for he came running back on all fours, barking in what appeared to be a questioning manner.

Kiba crouched down immediately and ran his hands over Akamaru reassuringly. "I'm okay, buddy. Don't worry."

"Cheer up, Kiba! We'll catch her another day, I promise," she assured him cheerfully. "How about we go grab some breakfast at Choji's place when we're done here. I know you love those chocolate chip muffins he makes."

Mentioning the muffins when dealing with a depressed Kiba was always the best option. Everyone who knew him as well as she did knew his weakness for Choji's muffins. She held back a chuckle when his face lit up instantly. Akamaru obviously approved as well, judging from the eager barks.

"You know I can't say no to those muffins," Kiba grinned. "Lead the way, woman!"

This time she didn't hold back her laughter…

* * *

When they finally made it to Choji's - a popular café situated not too far from the park, they left Akamaru waiting outside by one of the tables whilst they went inside to place their order. Kiba led the way inside but suddenly stopped in his tracks, which led to her bumping into him.

"What the hell, Kiba!" She cried out, rubbing her nose where it'd come into contact with his back.

He didn't respond or move, much to her annoyance. Moving past him to see what was wrong, she noticed the colour had drained from his face as he stared in shock directly in front of him. She frowned, following his gaze until it landed on a woman standing in the queue with her back to them. She had beautiful dark blue hair which fell all the way down to her waist in loose waves and looked to be about her own height. She wore a casual white dress with a pair of flat sandals.

Glancing back at Kiba and then at the woman again, she quickly connected the dots. "Looks like it's your lucky day, mutt," she said with a grin, smacking his arm to snap him out of it.

He did so almost immediately and then turned to walk right back out. Rolling her eyes, she followed him back outside.

"Where do you think you're going?" She demanded once she'd caught up to him, turning him around so he was facing her.

"I've changed my mind," he attempted casually, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh, come on, Kiba. Don't be a coward now," she chided him.

"I'm not being a coward!"

"Yes, you are!"

"Okay, fine I am!" He eventually admitted, looking miserably defeated. "I don't know how to approach her, Naruko. What the hell do I even say?"

Amused by the situation, she couldn't stop her lips from lifting up in a smile.

He obviously noticed and glared at her. "It's not funny!" He cried out, looking miffed.

"Sorry," she muttered, holding her hands out in defence. "I'll help you, but you're going to have to go back inside for that. We can't let this opportunity go to waste. Just follow my lead, okay?"

He nodded.

"Great! Hurry up then, I'm starving."

She led the way back inside this time, looking back over her shoulder once to make sure Kiba was following. He was. Once they were inside, she quickly noted that the woman was at the front of the queue, and luckily for them there was no one else behind her. They moved next in line quickly.

The dark-haired woman had already placed her order and was waiting patiently. Naruko looked past her, trying to get a glimpse of Choji – the owner of the café who was also their close friend. Not seeing him, she turned to one of the girls who was taking orders.

"Hey, Aiko, is Choji about? I needed to speak to him about something important."

The dark-haired woman seemed startled by her voice and looked back at her. Her eyes were an unusual light colour and stood out from her soft features. She was beautiful.

Aiko nodded. "He's out back in the kitchen. Do you want me to go get him for you?"

"Please, if you don't mind?"

"Sure, no worries. I need to go pick up this lady's order for fresh muffins anyway."

"Thanks, Aiko." She waited until Aiko had walked away before turning to the dark-haired woman. "Sorry about that," she apologised, moving to stand beside her.

The dark-haired woman smiled shyly at her. "That's okay."

"So, you like the muffins here, too?"

"I do, yes," she blushed prettily.

"My friend and I love the chocolate chip ones. They are heavenly!"

She nodded in agreement. "They are the best I've ever tasted. I come by every Sunday to pick some up for myself and my family."

"That's nice," Naruko flashed her the infamous Uzumaki grin. "I'm Naruko Uzumaki, by the way, and this is my friend, Kiba Inuzuka. We're regulars here so you're very likely to bump into one of us again."

Kiba grinned bashfully. "Hey!"

"It's nice to meet you two. My name is Hinata Hyuga," she replied with another shy smile.

Naruko's eyes widened slightly when she heard the name. "Hinata Hyuga? Are you related to Neji Hyuga, by any chance?"

Hinata seemed surprised by her words. "He's my cousin. Do you know him?"

She shook her head. "I only know of him. I work for Uchiha Industries, you see."

"I see. Well, that explains it."

Aiko chose that moment to return with a batch of freshly-baked muffins. The aroma coming from them was divine. Naruko could already feel her mouth watering.

"Choji said to go ahead and order. He'll come see you as soon as he can," Aiko told her as she placed the muffins carefully inside a box.

Naruko nodded. "Thanks, Aiko."

After Hinata had paid for her muffins, she turned back to them with a smile, bowing her head in the traditional way of saying goodbye. "It was really nice to meet you, Naruko and Kiba. I hope I'll see you again."

They followed suit with the goodbyes and watched her as she walked away. Kiba's eyes never left her retreating back until she'd disappeared from sight, climbing in to the back of what looked like a black Bentley that'd pulled up upon her arrival.

Kiba was strangely quiet whilst Naruko ordered food for both of them. It'd started to get busy so they headed back outside to their table. Akamaru immediately stood up, barking at them happily.

"Sorry we took so long, buddy," Kiba bent down to pat him on the back.

Akamaru didn't look like he minded too much, especially when they gave him a muffin as a treat. He didn't waste any time, taking it into his mouth in one go. Naruko couldn't help but laugh when he looked up expectedly at them for another when he was done.

Turning her attention back to Kiba, she frowned when she noticed the resigned look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

Kiba shook his head in answer. "It's nothing," he tried to assure her with a weak smile. "Thanks for what you did back there, Naruko. I finally know her name."

"It was no big deal, Kiba. Now, tell me what's bothering you."

He sighed when he saw the serious look in her eyes, knowing already that she wasn't going to back down until he told her. "I can't stop thinking about her," he revealed, looking down at the table in front of him. "Ever since I saw her at the park for the very first time. I like her a lot, but…I'm going to have to face the facts. She's too good for me."

Her eyes widened at the statement before they narrowed in disapproval. "Don't be stupid, Kiba. How can you even think that?"

"She's a Hyuga," he argued. "Look at her background and look at mine. There's no way she would even think of being with me!"

"You won't know for sure unless you've tried, you idiot!" she scolded him. "Were you not paying attention when she was talking to us? She's nothing like those arrogant rich losers."

Kiba still didn't look convinced. "I don't know…"

Now it was her turn to sigh. "You have to try, Kiba. I doubt you want to look back later on in life with regret that you didn't at least try. If she's not interested then it'd be easier for you to move on and find someone else."

Kiba was silent for some time, obviously mulling over what she'd said. She waited patiently, silently hoping that he would give it a go. Hinata seemed like a really nice girl. They would make a good couple, if it worked out.

"You're right," he grinned toothily. "I won't know unless I try."

She grinned right back. "That's the spirit!"

* * *

Naruto headed back home some time later, after parting ways with Kiba and Akamaru who had to go see Shino. There were a few things she needed to do before the day was over, like shopping and cleaning up her apartment.

She glanced down at the box of muffins she'd decided to buy to take to work the next day. Ino and Shikamaru would love them for sure. Whether or not her boss would that was another story. Thinking about the dark-haired man now instantly soured her good mood.

Things in the office since that night she'd taken care of him hadn't exactly improved like she'd naively hoped for. In fact, they had only worsen.

Sasuke Uchiha was a man who believed in perfection and expected nothing less from his employees. That she already knew for Suigetsu had made that very clear. She'd kept that in mind from the very start, making sure everything she did was nothing less than perfection.

Yet, that jerk had the audacity to continuously be rude to her. She couldn't understand what his problem was. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't think of a reason big enough to warrant his ill treatment towards her. It'd nearly brought her close to tears a few times, but like the strong individual she was she'd pushed them back, determined to work even harder to get his approval. No matter how hard he tried to break her it wasn't going to work.

Even though she continued to smile, the unfair treatment had taken a toll on her mentally.

And then there was the party scheduled for Friday evening. Suigetsu had gone over all the arrangements with Akari-san who she hadn't had the pleasure of meeting just yet, but had spoken to several times on the phone to check on things. An appointment had been made on Wednesday for her to come down and show them the final plan for the event. Invitations had already been sent out, and the party was all the media could talk about.

Ino was really excited about the party, going on and on about what she was going to wear every chance she got, which reminded her of her own predicament. What was she going to wear? The only formal event she'd ever attended had been her own graduation. She didn't own anything that was good enough for her to wear to such a huge event.

She'd spoken to Gaara about her predicament who'd offered to help like she'd known he would, but she'd refused, assuring him that she would take care of it. She would've asked Ino for help but the blonde had already mentioned going to visit family today. She had no choice but to find a dress on her own.

Crossing the road after looking both ways, she headed towards the red building of apartments where she lived. Taking the lift up to the third floor, she mentally debated on what kind of dress she should buy and what colour. It didn't help that she had a budget and couldn't afford to buy something too expensive.

Exiting the lift, she walked the short distance to her apartment, stopping short when she noticed someone standing directly outside her apartment door. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Temari?"

Dressed stylishly in a summery dress and heels, Temari smirked back at her. "Hello to you, too, Naru-chan!"

A big fat grin spread across Naruko's face once she'd gotten over her shock, and rushed forward to envelope Temari in a hug. "I can't believe it! It's been so long. Is Gaara here, too?" She pulled back to look around excitedly.

Temari shook her head. "No, he couldn't make it. He had a meeting to attend with Kankuro."

The smile dimmed slightly but not completely. "It's okay. I know how busy he is," she turned to unlock her apartment door, gesturing for Temari to enter once the door was open, and then followed her in. "So, were you passing by? No one told me you were coming."

Temari took a seat on the couch, watching her as she walked in to the kitchen to fetch them something to drink. She waited for her to return before she answered.

"Gaara sent me," she replied, helping herself to a can of soda. "He said you needed help with buying a dress for the party Uchiha was hosting."

The can of soda almost slipped out of her hands. She stared at Temari, unable to quite believe what she was hearing, but then again she really shouldn't be surprised. It was just like Gaara to do something like this. He would always come to her aid when she needed it.

She smiled, her eyes softening the way they always did when she thought about her friend. "I should've known he would do something like this."

Temari couldn't hold back her own smile. "I agree. Now, go get changed. We're going shopping..."

* * *

Several hours later, a very exhausted Naruko stepped out of Temari's car, clutching several bags of purchases. "Are you sure you don't want to stay the night," she asked the blonde. "You must be exhausted."

"I'll be fine," Temari assured her with a smile as she climbed out of the car. "I have to be somewhere in the morning otherwise I would've stayed."

Naruko walked around the car to give her a hug. "Thank you so much for coming today, Temari. You have no idea how much I appreciate it."

The older blonde returned the hug. "Don't be silly, Naru-chan. You mean as much to me as my brothers do. If I had known I would've come down without Gaara having to tell me."

Naruko pulled back to flash her a grin. "I know."

Temari turned to get back inside the car. "Take care of yourself, Naruko, and let me know how the party goes. The guys will be tripping over their feet when they see you in that dress."

Naruko rubbed that back of her neck self-consciously. "I still can't believe you made me get that one!"

Temari smirked. "Maybe I should tell Gaara to drop by and keep an eye on you."

"Gaara knows I can take care of myself."

"You keep on telling yourself that."

Naruko rolled her eyes. "Have a safe journey, Temari. Make sure you drop me a text when you reach home."

"Will do." With one last wave Temari drove off.

Naruko waited until she'd disappeared from sight before she started walking towards her apartment. The first thing she did as soon as she entered her home was to call a certain redhead. He didn't take too long to pick up.

"I was wondering when you were going to call," Gaara's deep voice held a hint of amusement.

"I can't believe you sent Temari all the way here to help me pick a stupid dress and then not let me pay for it either," Naruko didn't waste any time voicing her thoughts. "What were you thinking, Gaara!"

"What colour is it?"

"Gaara!"

There was no response as he waited for an answer.

Rolling her eyes, she gave in and told him. "Blue."

"There are several shades of blue," he pointed out.

She smiled at his reply. "Temari said it matched the colour of my eyes perfectly."

"I see."

She made her way to the window, watching the evening sky. "When are you planning on coming to see me? It's been ages, you know," she pouted childishly.

"Very soon," he told her.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes," there was a pause and what sounded like voices in the background. She thought she heard Kankuro's voice amongst them.

"Did I call at a bad time," she asked. "If so, I could call you back later."

"I'm sorry. Something just came up."

"It's okay. Call me back when you're free."

"I will."

"Gaara?"

"What is it, Naruko?"

She smiled. "Thank you for being such a great friend."

There was another pause. "I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy, Naruko."

"You always do," she said softly.

"Look after yourself," he said. "I'll call you later."

She hanged up with a smile…

* * *

Dark eyes glared at the cloudy morning sky as it pelted down with rain outside his car window. It steadily grew faster, showing no signs of slowing down or stopping. He could tell it was going to last all day.

Hearing his phone go off, Sasuke swiped the phone screen to check the message sent from Suigetsu. A quick glance had him rolling his eyes. It seemed the depressing weather had done little to dampen the idiot's mood, but then again there were very few things that could.

The car soon stopped outside Uchiha Industries. He waited for the driver to open the door before he grabbed his briefcase and moved to get out. Like always, he ignored everything and everyone around him as he entered the building and headed towards the lift that would take him all the way up to the top floor.

As the lift moved steadily upwards, his thoughts drifted towards the conversation he'd had with Sai last night. It seemed his suspicions had been correct. Neji was indeed going for the same contract his company had their eyes on. How Sai had managed to learn about Neji's plans was of course a big mystery, but then again he was the very best at what he did, which was why he'd hired him in the first place.

It certainly wasn't what he'd been hoping to hear, not that he was worried. Uchiha Industries and Hyuga Enterprises had a history of rivalry that started back when his father had been President. It was only inevitable that it would continue into the next generation and so on.

In a way it was a good thing. Having a rival only made him more determined to succeed, and it was always a pleasant victory made sweeter when he saw the look on Neji's face after defeating him yet again. Thinking about the last time he'd wiped the smile off his face made him smirk.

The lift soon reached the top floor and he walked out, heading towards his office. Keeping his gaze locked on his office door, he ignored the blonde who looked up as he approached.

"Good morning, Uchiha-san," she greeted him happily.

He couldn't hold back the frown from appearing on his face once he'd walked past her. How could someone sound so cheerful was beyond him. He'd hoped after the treatment he'd given her last week that it would dampen her annoying cheerful demeanour but it hadn't. In fact, it only seemed to make it worse.

He pushed open his office door, letting it close shut behind him. Walking up to his desk, he placed his briefcase down before he headed towards the window. Looking out at the showers of rain coming down, he couldn't help but recall the time he'd seen Naruko dancing out in the rain. He'd been too far away to see the look on her face, but it wasn't too hard to imagine.

Slightly startled when he realised what he was doing, he pushed back the memory with irritation. Why the hell was he even thinking about her, of all things?

A knock at the door made his irritation grow. "Come in," he called out after composing himself.

He heard the door close after she'd walked in, not bothering to turn around to acknowledge her. The smell of coffee instantly hit his senses.

"Uchiha-san, here's your coffee and the files for today's meetings," she said, setting them down on the desk, and then going on to inform him of today's schedule. "I also received a call from Asahi Shimbun today," she added when she was done. "They're doing an article on Japan's most successful young businessmen and was wondering if you were available for an interview. I told them I would get back to them after speaking to you."

Everyone knew Asahi Shimbun was one of the top newspapers in the whole of Japan. If they wanted to interview you it was a big deal. He smirked.

"Inform them that I have agreed to do it," he answered eventually, turning around to face her, "but it will have to be after the trip to the U.S."

"I'll let them know."

He waited until he was sat down before he looked at her. "Have you booked the flight tickets and sorted the visas?"

She nodded. "You will be flying out to the States on the 11th of May and returning on the 15th. Shikamaru and Ino will join you on the 12th in time for the meeting on the 13th."

He still hadn't told her that she would be accompanying him on this trip. Maybe now would be the best time to do it.

"I need you to book another ticket for the same dates as mine," he said casually as he reached for his mug of coffee, frowning when he noticed what looked like a chocolate chip muffin sat on a plate next to where the mug of coffee had been.

"Oh, is Suigetsu accompanying you as well?"

"No."

Confusion clouded in her blue eyes. "Then who?"

He looked up at her, already predicting her reaction. "You are."

"What?" She cried out, shock making her eyes widen comically. "But…how can I go. I mean, I've never been anywhere outside Japan…"

He sighed inwardly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Just sort it out and get out of my office."

His cold tone quickly snapped her out of it. Without another word she turned and left. He watched her until she disappeared from sight, the door closing shut behind her retreating back.

What was it about her that he couldn't quite stand?

"_I guess we're quite alike. My parents died when I was really young so I know how you feel. The pain never truly goes away, no matter how much you try to get over it. Hiding it only makes it worse, I guess, but some habits are hard to let go."_

His hands tightened into fists as he recalled her words from that night.

After watching the recording on the CCTV camera, he hadn't known what to think or do. It hadn't been what he'd been expecting. In fact, it'd been far from it.

For the first time in his life he was in a position where he had no idea what to do, and what made it worse was that smile… The one he hadn't been able to stop thinking about.

He knew he needed to get rid of her. These thoughts were dangerous. He couldn't afford to let such trivial things get to him, but no matter how much he tried he couldn't seem to do it. Instead, he found himself giving her treatment she didn't deserve, silently hoping she would get sick of it and hand in her resignation.

His gaze drifted towards the muffin she'd bought, already knowing it was futile. She wasn't going to give up so easily…

* * *

Naruko couldn't seem to sit still after returning to her desk, still unable to quite believe that she was going abroad for the first time in her life, and to the United States of America of all places. It was enough to rattle anyone.

So she wouldn't think about it, she forced herself to focus entirely on her work. It didn't take too long to forget about it temporarily. Today's schedule was a busy one. There were three meetings to get through, emails which needed to be typed and sent, phone calls which needed to be made, not to mention a stack of paperwork which needed to be filed and put away and that was only the beginning of it.

It was nearly the end of the day when she finally finished all her tasks. All there was left to do was get through one last meeting. She glanced at the time, waiting for her boss to appear so they could head on down to the Mandarin Oriental for a business meeting. Ino was supposed to attend this meeting with Uchiha-san but due to domestic reasons had to go home early. Naruko had no choice but to go in her place instead.

The Mandarin Oriental was one of the top five star hotels in Tokyo. She'd never been there before but Ino had told her it was incredible. The meeting was with someone called Orochimaru Sannin, who also ran a trading company like Uchiha Industries, though not as successful. According to what Ino had told her, Orochimaru had requested an informal meeting over dinner to discuss a proposal. What that proposal was no one knew. The only way to find out was to attend the meeting.

Uchiha-san soon showed up. She followed him to the lift, standing beside him while they waited for the lift to take them back down. Strangely enough, he'd been quieter than usual today. She'd been expecting the same backlash she'd received last week, but none came since he'd told her to get out of his office in the morning. It was kind of weird.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was staring straight ahead, looking as detached as he normally did, but there was definitely something different about him today. She had noticed it throughout the day but hadn't been able to figure out what it was.

As if sensing her gaze, he frowned. "Any particular reason why you keep staring at me?"

Embarrassed at been caught, she looked away quickly. "You seem different today," she muttered before she could stop herself.

Closing her eyes she tensed, waiting for the cutting insult that was surely on the way, but when none came she opened one eye to peek at him again.

He was staring at her.

Surprised, she couldn't help but stare back. Looking into those dark eyes, she had come to realised, was an experience in itself. Once you made contact you simply couldn't look away.

It was only when the lift doors opened did she blink. In that time he'd already disappeared. She hurried after him, taking the opportunity to quickly compose herself.

They were met at the doors by one of Uchiha-san's bodyguards who would be accompanying them to the meeting, but keeping low once they got there. She followed them quietly to the car, getting in the back with Uchiha-san. The door was closed shut behind her, and they were driving away a few seconds later.

She turned to look out of the tinted car window, her eyes narrowed in confusion as she stared at the evening sky. Why had he been staring at her like that, and more importantly, why hadn't she been able to look away. In those seconds, minutes, or however long it'd been it'd felt like…they were the only two people in the world. She hadn't been able to think about anything else.

She didn't know what to make of it. It was odd. One minute he acted like he hated her guts and the next he's staring at her. Just what was up with this guy? She couldn't figure him out.

It was completely dark by the time they'd arrived at the hotel. Naruko only had time to have a brief look before they went inside. Not that it mattered. The inside was impressive enough with its modern exterior, and virtually reeked of money and class. She couldn't help but feel out of place.

It seemed like the staff working there had been expecting them, for one of the ladies working behind the front desk approached them immediately.

"Good evening, Uchiha-san," she greeted him with a flirtatious smile, not bothering to hide the fact that she was checking him out. "Orochimaru-san is already here and waiting for you at your table. If you'd follow me I'll show you where you need to go."

Uchiha-san simply nodded.

They followed her past the front desk and down a long wide corridor. At the end, there were a set of double doors, which undoubtedly led to the restaurant. One glance inside was enough to see how busy it was. She led them away from the bustle in the room and continued ahead where they went through another set of double doors.

On the other side there was another room with chairs and tables, but the layout was more private. The room was mostly empty, save for a handful of people. She led them towards a table on one side where there were two men sat waiting. They pushed back their chairs and stood up as we approached.

One of them had grey hair, which he kept in a ponytail. He wore glasses, and was dressed smartly in a dark grey suit. The other was much taller. He had long dark hair, and very pale skin. His eyes were a distinctive gold colour with strange purple markings around them. He was also dressed smartly in a suit.

The taller one smiled. "I'm so glad you could make it, Uchiha-kun," he said before his eyes drifted to Naruko. "And who may this beautiful lady be?"

Naruko couldn't help but feel uneasy under his intense gaze. He gave off a creepy vibe.

Uchiha-san frowned. "This is my personal secretary, Uzumaki-san," he said curtly, glancing down at his watch. "I suggest we get this meeting started, Orochimaru-san. I'm a busy person."

Orochimaru smiled. "As you wish, Uchiha-kun. Please take a seat," he gestured towards the two chairs opposite. "But before we begin, let us have dinner."

Naruko took the empty seat next to Uchiha-san, silently hoping this wasn't going to take too long. She glanced sideways at her boss, noting the look of indifference on his face.

As soon as everyone was seated, the man sat next to Orochimaru signalled to the waiter stood nearby. The waiter, a young man who looked to be in his twenties, hurried forward with menus. He greeted everyone, and was just about to place a menu in front of Uchiha-san when he was signalled to stop by a pale hand.

"If you don't mind, Orochimaru-san, I would prefer to use a waiter approved by my bodyguard," Uchiha-san announced calmly. "I'm sure you would agree that one can never be too careful nowadays."

Orochimaru smiled tightly. "Of course, Uchiha-san. I completely agree with you."

The waiter backed off, moving to take the orders from the two sat on the other side of the table. As soon as he'd moved, another one took his place. This one appeared much older, in his thirties at the most.

"Good evening," he greeted them with a bright smile as he placed the menus down in front of them. "Uchiha-san, Uzumaki-san, I will be your waiter for this evening."

Naruko smiled politely. She picked up the menu in front of her, and after a quick browse selected a light starter and a main.

Once all the orders had been taken, the waiters left to fetch their drinks. As soon as they were alone, Orochimaru immediately started conversation with Uchiha-san.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Uchiha-kun," he began smoothly. "The deal with Haruno Corporations was truly a remarkable one. You must be pleased with your latest achievement."

"Word sure does spread fast in the business word," Uchiha-san muttered drily.

Orochimaru chuckled. "It is good to keep an eye on things, Uchiha-kun. One never knows when a good opportunity arises."

Uchiha-san narrowed his eyes. "What do you want, Orochimaru?" he asked bluntly.

Snake-like eyes lit up in amusement. "There's no need to be so impatient, Sasuke-kun," he chided. "Let's enjoy dinner, and then we'll talk about why we're here."

Naruko remained silent during their exchange, observing the two men sat in front of her closely. The unease continued to grow the longer she was around them. Something was definitely not right about these two, and it seemed Uchiha-san had also noticed.

Orochimaru seemed a little too confident for someone who had yet to mention what kind of proposal he had. It was as if he already knew he was going to get what he wanted.

"I think we're done talking here," Uchiha-san replied coldly, moving to get up.

"You don't want to do this, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru responded with a creepy smile.

Naruko moved to get up as well, eager to get away from them. It was just as they were walking away that Orochimaru said something – something that made them stop in their tracks.

"I guess you don't want to know why Itachi left then…"

* * *

A/N: Please don't kill me! I know it's awfully harsh of me to make you wait so long, only to end in the chapter in a cliff-hanger. It was not intentional, believe me. I hadn't even planned on having Orochimaru and Kabuto in this story. It just happened. Don't worry, though. I'm not planning on giving them a big role in this story. They'll probably be around for just another chapter.

I have this bad habit of adding drama where I can in my stories, haha!

As for those who want to know when Gaara and Sakura are making an entrance, then you'll be happy to know that you won't have to wait too long. I won't give any spoilers. All you need to know is that I have something great planned.

As for the latest developments, please review and share your thoughts. Your feedback is very much appreciated. Until next time…


End file.
